iPhone 2019: Leaked Renderings Reveal Apple Plans a Big Selfie Camera Boost
It could be the first major change to the camera in three years.
Apple may be preparing its most significant upgrade to the iPhone’s front-facing camera in three years. A Thursday report claims the company is planning to introduce a 10-megapixel selfie snapper in the display’s notch, up from the seven-megapixel sensor that’s been included since the iPhone 7, giving a welcome boost to image resolution that brings it up to parity with the rear-facing camera.
The CompareRaja report claims that Apple will make the change alongside upgrades to the TrueDepth system, the 3D scanner Apple uses to authenticate a user’s face and unlock the device with Face ID. The report also claims that Apple will add a third camera to the rear of the device, with one sensor capturing 10 megapixels, a second capturing 14 megapixels, and the third with unknown resolution. This is a slight reconfiguration from the current dual 12-megapixel setup on the iPhone XS and XS Max, one of which captures a wider angle than the other.
The next iPhone could take even sharper photos.
See more: Future iPhones Could Hide Front Camera Using New Technique, Report Claims
When the iPhone 4 was introduced in 2010, Apple used a low-quality front-facing camera capable of capturing 640 by 480 pixels. Apple marginally improved on this with the iPhone 5, boosting it to a 1.2-megapixel shooter, but it wasn’t until the “selfie” exploded in popularity that Apple opted to bundle a more competent shooter with the iPhone 6S in 2015. The company has since augmented the front camera into a performance powerhouse, with a “Portrait Mode” that uses the TrueDepth sensors to blur the background like a professional camera and “Portrait Lightning” that uses A.I. to simulate a studio setting. A boost to resolution could improve these features further.
The report also claimed Apple may make some internal changes to the device. The company may move away from the L-shaped battery pioneered with the iPhone X, designed to make the most efficient use of the internal space, by moving the motherboard above the battery instead. It also states that, based on current prototypes, Apple may not make the switch away from the Lightning charger to USB-C as previously rumored.
Expect more details about Apple’s plans for the iPhone platform when the company takes to the stage at the Worldwide Developers Conference this summer.
Related video: Apple Introduces iPhone XS and XR
