Forget iPhone 16 Pro — Apple tipped to unleash three 48MP cameras on iPhone 17 Pro Max
This would be a first for Apple and a big deal for photographers
![iPhone 15 Pro Max in blue](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/vhhJu8kuMwLR8cPkuhdjvg-320-80.jpg)
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
- I took over 200 photos with the iPhone 15 vs. Galaxy S24 — here’s the winner
- Android 15 is getting a huge upgrade that surpasses the iPhone
- I walked 5,000 steps with Apple Watch SE vs Fitbit Charge 6 — here's the winner
![Arrow Arrow](https://search-api.fie.futurecdn.net/img/misc/arrow_down.png)
![Arrow Arrow](https://search-api.fie.futurecdn.net/img/misc/arrow_down.png)
![Arrow Arrow](https://search-api.fie.futurecdn.net/img/misc/arrow_down.png)
![Arrow Arrow](https://search-api.fie.futurecdn.net/img/misc/arrow_down.png)
![Arrow Arrow](https://search-api.fie.futurecdn.net/img/misc/arrow_down.png)
![Arrow Arrow](https://search-api.fie.futurecdn.net/img/misc/arrow_down.png)
Sign up to get the BEST of Tom’s Guide direct to your inbox.
Upgrade your life with a daily dose of the biggest tech news, lifestyle hacks and our curated analysis. Be the first to know about cutting-edge gadgets and the hottest deals.
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.