IPhones in 2022 will feature 48MP camera but no mini models – says report

Apple is reportedly planning a major camera upgrade for its 2022 iPhone lineup as the devices may sport a 48MP lens and the mini models are likely to be axed, a media report said on Wednesday.

According to AppleInsider, citing famed analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple’s top-tier “iPhone 14” models will adopt a 1/1.3-inch 48MP CMOS image sensor for wide-angle camera module duties.

“We believe that the new 2H2022 iPhone may support direct 48MP output and 12MP (four cells merge output mode) output simultaneously,” Kuo said in a note to investors.

“With 12MP output, the CIS pixel size of the new 2H22 iPhone increases to about 2.5um, which is significantly larger than the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13, and larger than existing Android phones, and close to the DSC level,” he added.

The company typically concentrates on wide-angle camera technology first, with the benefits trickling down to telephoto and ultra-wide angle systems in subsequent years, the report said.

The sensor could support hybrid-operating modes to maximize pixel size and capitalize on the hardware’s light-gathering capabilities.

Kuo also said that there won’t be a 5.4-inch mini anymore and Apple will stick to the 6.1-inch and 6.7-inch displays on other models, the report said.

The mini has reportedly not sold to Apple’s expectations, with the company said to have overestimated demand and cut production orders.