iPhone 16 Pro Max to Feature Larger, Improved Primary Camera Sensor, Tipster Claims

iPhone 16 Pro Max — Apple's purported successor to the iPhone 15 Pro Max that was launched last year — could arrive with more powerful camera capabilities in the coming months, according to details shared by a tipster. The company's top-of-the-line iPhone model is said to be equipped with an improved 48-megapixel primary camera sensor that is larger than the one used on the current (iPhone 15 Pro Max) and previous generation (iPhone 14 Pro Max) models, offering more advanced camera capabilities.

Tipster Digital Chat Station leaked details of the iPhone 16 Pro Max camera via a Weibo post (in Chinese) on Wednesday. The iPhone 16 Pro Max will be equipped with a 48-megapixel Sony IMX903 camera sensor with a customised design. It will feature a 14-bit analogue-to-digital converter (ADC) and a digital gain control (DGC) for improved camera performance, according to the tipster.

Photo Credit: Screenshot/ Weibo

Apple equipped the iPhone 15 Pro Max and iPhone 14 Pro Max models with a 1/1.28-inch primary camera sensor, but this year's top-of-the-line model could sport a new, larger 1/1.14-inch sensor. This means that the company's purported flagship iPhone model for 2024 could capture better images in low light scenarios, while offering better dynamic range and bokeh capabilities.

Earlier this month, TF Securities International analyst Ming-Chi Kuo predicted that the iPhone 16 Pro models would be equipped with an upgraded ultra-wide-angle camera, while the tetraprism telephoto camera setup from the iPhone 15 Pro Max will make its way to the smaller iPhone 16 Pro model later this year.

Based on these claims, it appears that the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max will both feature two upgraded cameras. Meanwhile, Apple's 2025 models — expected to debut as the iPhone 17 series — will be equipped with an upgraded selfie camera, from a 12-megapixel camera with a 5P lens to a 24-megapixel camera with a 6P lens, according to Kuo.