iPhone 15 Ultra could get a huge camera upgrade to take on the Galaxy S24 Ultra

Is Apple preparing to level the playing field?

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Only last week, we published a story explaining how theSamsung Galaxy S24 Ultra’s zoom capabilities could leave Apple’s iPhones in the dust– but a new rumor suggests the iPhone 15 Ultra will come with the camera tech to rivalSamsung’s next Galaxy flagship, after all.

According to serialAppletipsterRevengus, theiPhone 15 Ultrawill arrive packing a telephoto camera with a variable zoom lens; the same setup rumored to feature on theSamsung Galaxy S24Ultra.

TheSamsung Galaxy S23 Ultra– our current pick for thebest phonecurrently on the market – already features two telephoto cameras, but its successor is expected to replace the former’s 3x and 10x lenses with a single telephoto sensor with a variable system that allows it to move optically between these degrees of magnification. TheiPhone 14 Pro Max, in contrast, can only optically zoom up to 3x; so the rumored addition ofanyvariable zoom lens to the iPhone 15 Ultra is particularly significant for Apple.

iPhone 15 Pro max,Same image sensor as its predecessorTelephoto camera with variable zoomApril 15, 2023

Variable optical zoom cameras are exceptionally rare among today’s smartphones. As noted in our aforementioned article, theSony Xperia 1 IVuses one, but it’s only capable of zooming between 3.5x and 5.2x. So, if both Samsung and Apple can add variable zoom lenses (with superior ranges) to their respective upcoming flagships, our ranking of thebest camera phonesis in for a serious shake-up.

As with all rumors, though, some caveats must be added. For starters, we’ve heard moreiPhone 15rumors in recent weeks than we can shake a stick at, with some – like the news that theiPhone 15 Pro could get solid-state volume and power buttons– being bothcorroboratedanddeniedin the space of a few days.

We wouldn’t be surprised, then, if a new rumor emerges tomorrow that contradicts today’s reports of an iPhone 15 Ultra with a variable zoom lens. In any case, it’s exciting to think that the possibility even exists.

iPhone 15 Ultra: what else to expect

As for what other features are expected to arrive with the iPhone 15 Ultra, we’ve heard that the device will – at the very least – begetting more advanced image processing capabilitiesthan its Pro-level counterpart, the iPhone 15 Pro.

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On the design front,unofficial iPhone 15 Ultra rendershave hinted at a USB-C port, a slightly shallower camera bump and a curvier chassis than the iPhone 14 Pro Max, while the phone could be clad in titanium, too (which is typically stronger and lighter than the stainless steel used by current iPhones).

Despite using the same processor, the iPhone 15 Ultra is rumored to be even more powerful than the iPhone 15 Pro, with one source claiming that the former’s softwarewon’t limit the phone as much as it will on the Pro model. The only real reason the software would limit it in the first place is to stop the phone overheating, so that also suggests the iPhone 15 Ultra might have a better cooling system.

We’re keeping tabs on all the latest iPhone 15 Ultra rumors as and when they appear, so stay tuned to TechRadar in the run-up to this year’s potentially-seismic iPhone reveal event.

Axel is TechRadar’s UK-based Phones Editor, reporting on everything from the latest Apple developments to newest AI breakthroughs as part of the site’s Mobile Computing vertical. Having previously written for publications including Esquire and FourFourTwo, Axel is well-versed in the applications of technology beyond the desktop, and his coverage extends from general reporting and analysis to in-depth interviews and opinion. 

Axel studied for a degree in English Literature at the University of Warwick before joining TechRadar in 2020, where he then earned an NCTJ qualification as part of the company’s inaugural digital training scheme.

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