iPhone 15 Series Will Switch to Glass-Plastic Hybrid Lens and Improved Aperture, Tipster Claims

iPhone 15 series camera specifications have been leaked online, ahead of the expected debut of Apple's next-generation smartphone models later this year. The Cupertino company is tipped to replace the moulded plastic lens setup on its primary camera with a glass-plastic hybrid lens. Apple is expected to be one of the first smartphone makers to introduce a device with a hybrid lens design on smartphones that will be available globally — firms like Xiaomi offer the technology on their smartphones sold in China.

Unlike the iPhone 14 series of smartphones that feature seven plastic lenses, the iPhone 15 lineup will feature a primary camera that has a hybrid lens made up of one glass element and six plastic elements, according to Twitter user RGcloudS (@RGcloudS). The tipster is known for leaking details of Android smartphones in the past, and claims that Apple will be the first company to equip its phones with a glass-plastic hybrid lens in global markets this year.

Previous leaks claim that the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus will be equipped with the same 48-megapixel Sony IMX primary camera sensor that was available on the iPhone 14 Pro series last year. According to RGcloudS, the primary camera on the iPhone 15 series will have an f/1.7 aperture, up from f/1.79 on last year's premium smartphones from Apple, allowing the company's next phones to capture up to 20 percent more light and better colours, potentially offering improved low-light performance.

While Apple is yet to announce plans to launch the iPhone 15 lineup, RGcloudS goes on to claim that next year's top-of-the-line model — the purported iPhone 16 Pro Max or iPhone 16 Ultra — will be equipped with a hybrid lens design comprising two glass elements and six plastic elements, on the primary camera. The iPhone 16 Pro Max is also tipped to feature a periscope camera setup for improved zoom performance.

Meanwhile, the ultra-wide-angle and telephoto cameras on the iPhone 15 lineup are tipped to feature hybrid lenses with seven elements and six elements, respectively. Previous reports suggest that the iPhone 15 Pro Max could be equipped with a larger 48-megapixel Sony sensor than its predecessor, the iPhone 14 Pro Max.

Earlier this month, RGcloudS had stated that Apple would equip the iPhone 15 lineup with stacked battery technology that would allow the smartphone to support 40W wired charging and 20W wireless (MagSafe) charging. The user has now clarified — via the same Twitter thread — that they believe the new battery technology will debut with the iPhone 16 series next year, with support for charging at a faster rate than existing iPhone models.