iPhone 17 Pro Max tipped for enhanced 48MP telephoto camera

Next year’s iPhone 17 Pro Max could be the first to feature a new and improved 48MP telephoto camera set-up, according to a reputable source.

We’re likely around two months away from the unveiling of Apple’s next flagship phone, the iPhone 16 Pro Max, but rumours have continued to flow concerning what’s next after that.

The latest tidbit of juicy prediction comes from the ever-reliable Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who claims that the iPhone 17 Pro Max will boast a powerful telephoto upgrade.

According to Kuo’s latest investment note, this will be the first iPhone to pack a new larger 1/2.6″ 48MP tetraprism camera for zoomed shots. By way of a comparison, the iPhone 15 Pro Max currently uses a 1/3.1″ 12MP tetraprism camera.

Kuo isn’t yet sure whether the smaller iPhone 17 Pro will also feature this new component. If it doesn’t then he expects the following year’s iPhone 18 Pro to pack the next sharper component.

Apple switched its main camera up to 48MP in 2022 with the iPhone 14 Pro after years of 12MP cameras. However, the rest of the camera set-up, including both telephoto and ultra-wide, has remained rooted to 12MP across the iPhone 14 and subsequent iPhone 15 families.

Previous tips have suggested that Apple will be upgrading the ultra-wide camera to 48MP with this year’s iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max. If all of these predictions pan out, then the iPhone 17 Pro Max would be the first iPhone with a triple 48MP camera set-up.