Apple iPhone 14 Pro May Get A Bigger Camera Bump For A Huge Sensor Upgrade

The upcoming iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max may have a thicker camera bump, but there is a good reason for it. According to Ming-Chi Kuo, a notable Apple insider, this new thickness will be attributed to a new more powerful primary camera sensor.

In the world of smartphones, the battle for best smartphone camera is always up for debate. While other phone companies have opted for lenses with up to 108MP sensors, Apple has been content with utilizing a camera array of 12MP lenses. Well, at least up until now perhaps. Rumors are pointing to a possible new 48MP primary sensor for the upcoming iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max.

While the iPhone 14 is not expected to launch until September of this year, leaks and rumors are already inundating the internet. A few rumors have been floating around, including a notch-less display design for the Pro model, which will certainly be a welcome addition for many if true. Another is that the camera array on the rear of the smartphone may be getting a bit thicker with the upcoming iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max.

According to Ming-Chi Kuo, an analyst at TF International Securities, the reason behind the thicker bump is to make room for a larger primary sensor. He recently tweeted that the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max will be bumping up its primary sensor to 48MP, replacing the current 12MP on the iPhone 13 Pro/Pro Max. Kuo says this will increase the diagonal length by 25-35%, and the height by 5-10%.

The larger camera bump may not be aesthetically pleasing, but a 48MP camera should make for better images, including in low-light. A larger sensor allows for more light to be let in and helps improve overall image quality. While software and AI enhancements can drastically improve photos, it is still limited in what it can do. Pixel peepers will certainly be all for a larger sensor.

Earlier rumors suggest that the it will be a 1/1.3-inch sensor, but with a smaller 1.25um pixels, in comparison to the iPhone 13 Pro Max's 1.7um pixels. Along with the larger sensor allowing more light in, Apple is also rumored to be using something called pixel binning to combine multiple pixels into one. The new 48MP sensor should allow for 8K videos, and is said to be suitable for viewing on Apple's long-awaited AR/VR headset.

The new 48MP sensor will be coupled with an updated A16 chip, and that should provide for more powerful and efficient processing. Kuo has previously stated that he thinks the camera quality of the iPhone 14 Pro models will "elevate mobile phone camera photography to a new level."