Apple is said to upgrade its iPhone 15 lineup with a periscope zoom lens next year, making it the first time the company will introduce such a change. To make this possible, the technology giant will need to partner with a valid supplier, and according to a new report, it has done exactly that.
Apple’s Latest Supply Chain Entrant Jahwa Electronics Is Said to Invest a Mammoth Amount Building Plants for the New Components
South Korean manufacturer Jahwa Electronics will reportedly join Apple’s supply chain, according to The Elec, as it aims to invest around $155 million in setting up new plants. These plants will be used to mass produce optical image actuators. Apple was said to have visited Jahwa Electronics’ production lines in South Korea during the first half of 2021 and would likely have wanted actuators specific to its specifications, requiring the supplier to make dedicated plants to commence operation.
It is also possible that Apple did not want its competitors to know what new hardware the iPhone 15 lineup would have in terms of periscope zoom lens upgrades, so it wants a new facility to produce components for it solely. Jahwa Electronics currently provides Samsung with OIS actuators for its Galaxy S22 family, so it is no surprise that Apple wants a different plant all to itself.
These actuators will likely be supplied to Apple during the second quarter of next year for the iPhone 15 series. While the following is not confirmed, it is possible that only the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max exclusively ship with periscope zoom lens upgrades to help differentiate themselves better from the less expensive versions. This massive change may also compel customers to upgrade to the premium models, resulting in higher margins for the Cupertino tech behemoth.
Apple has been rumored to bring a periscope camera lens to the iPhone 15 models for quite a while, and unfortunately, those who wish to upgrade to the forthcoming iPhone 14 range might need to wait an entire year if they were expecting enhanced optical zoom features to arrive in late 2022. With a periscope zoom lens in place, an iPhone 15 could zoom into objects with a 5x or 10x magnification with little impact on image quality.
Several of Apple’s competitors have been using periscope zoom in high-end smartphones for quite a while, so the company will have to bring immense improvements in this category to set itself apart.
News Source: The Elec
