While the iPhone currently maxes out at 3x optical zoom, that’s said to change this year. The next-gen iPhone 15 Pro Max is expected to have a so-called “periscope lens” that will allow doubling the optical zoom.

In July 2022, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said that the periscope lens will be exclusive to the high-end iPhone 15 Pro Max and will have 5-6x optical magnification. Periscope technology will be integrated into the telephoto lens and will provide up to 6x zoom without any blurring or degradation in image quality when taking pictures with the rear camera.

With a periscopic lens, the light absorbed by the image sensor is bent or “folded”, allowing for greater distance between camera elements in a compact smartphone design. The technology allows for increased optical zoom and is already used by some Android brands such as Samsung, Google and Huawei, while phones like the Pixel 7 Pro and Galaxy S23 Ultra offer 5x to 10x optical zoom.

5-6x optical zoom would be a significant upgrade for the iPhone camera. Unfortunately, Kuo said the periscope lens will be limited to next year’s iPhone 16 Pro Max, meaning the technology will only be available on the most expensive iPhone model for the next two and a half years. Apple is expected to announce the iPhone 15 series in September. For more, read our guide to iPhone periscope lens rumors.