Forget iPhone 16 Pro — Apple tipped to unleash three 48MP cameras on iPhone 17 Pro Max

iPhone 15 Pro Max in blue
(Image credit: Future)

Apple hasn't even announced the iPhone 16 or iPhone 16 Pro, and rumors are already circulating about what the company could have planned for the iPhone 17 Pro Max. For photographers, Apple looks to be working on a significant upgrade, adding three 48MP lenses to the phone.

The report on Medium comes from Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, a reliable source for Cupertino information. He said the new iPhone would get an upgrade to a Tetraprism 1/2.6" 48MP sensor, up from the 1/3.1" 12MP expected to be used in the soon-to-be-announced iPhone 16 Pro models. 

A previous report suggested that Apple would upgrade the iPhone 16 Pro models to a 48MP ultra-wide lens, so with the telephoto upgrade reportedly coming to iPhone 17 Pro Max (assuming it retains the 48MP ultra-wide), then it would be the first iPhone model to ditch 12MP lenses in favor of all three shooters at 48MP. 

The current iPhone 15 Pro lineup offers a 48MP primary camera, 12MP ultra-wide and 12MP telephoto sensors, which are great for most people, but there's always room for improvement. Kuo noted that it's currently uncertain whether only the iPhone 17 Pro Max will feature the upgraded Tetraprism camera but says the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max will get it.

Kuo's report goes further than the iPhone 17 Pro Max, suggesting that 2027 iPhones will have a more substantially improved Tetraprism camera with an improved optical zoom. Technically, the upgrade would make it not a Tetraprism lens, as Apple would need to increase the number of prisms to lengthen the light path, as noted by MacRumors. That's a long way away, but it's exciting to watch for future iPhone buyers.

We'll keep you posted on the latest news on iPhone 16, iPhone 17 and beyond. As we get closer to the iPhone 16 launch, we expect plenty of news to break, as the rumors always come hot and heavy before Apple announces anything official.

More from Tom's Guide

Category
Arrow
Arrow
Back to Mobile Cell Phones
Storage Size
Arrow
Colour
Arrow
Condition
Arrow
Price
Arrow
Any Price
Showing 10 of 230 deals
Filters
Arrow
(256GB Blue)
Our Review
1
Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max Blue...
Mint Mobile
Our Review
2
Apple iPhone 15 128BG
Visible
(256GB Blue)
Our Review
3
Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max /...
Amazon
Our Review
4
Apple iPhone 15 128GB
AT&T Mobility
(128GB)
Our Review
5
iPhone 15 128GB Pink
Apple
Our Review
6
Apple iPhone 15 128GB
Verizon
(128GB Blue)
Our Review
7
Apple iPhone 15 Pro...
Straight Talk
(Grey)
Our Review
8
Total by Verizon - Apple...
Total by Verizon
(128GB Black)
Our Review
9
Apple iPhone 15 Plus Black...
Mint Mobile
Our Review
10
Apple iPhone 15 Pro 128GB
Visible
Load more deals
Dave LeClair
Senior News Editor

Dave LeClair is the Senior News Editor for Tom's Guide, keeping his finger on the pulse of all things technology. He loves taking the complicated happenings in the tech world and explaining why they matter. Whether Apple is announcing the next big thing in the mobile space or a small startup advancing generative AI, Dave will apply his experience to help you figure out what's happening and why it's relevant to your life.