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The iPhone 16 Pro Max could launch with a serious camera upgrade

A new iPhone 16 Pro Max camera upgrade rumor is seemingly suggesting that Apple is paying close attention to its big-name competitors.

Custom image for iPhone 16 Pro Max camera upgrade rumor news with an iPhone 15 Pro Max's camera on a blue backgrund

While the official reveal is still at least a couple of months away, we’ve heard a new iPhone 16 Pro Max camera upgrade rumor that makes for very interesting reading. It seems that Apple plans to improve both the main and ultrawide cameras on its next flagship in a move to catch up with camera developments from Android competitors like Samsung and Xiaomi.

The latest rumor surrounding iPhone 16 Pro Max camera upgrades is courtesy of Weibo tipster OvO Baby Sauce OvO, first reported by MacRumors, and offers some exciting details. Earlier this year we heard reports of the iPhone 16 Pro Max’s main camera employing a Sony IMX903 lens for heightened image quality, and this Weibo post seemingly corroborates those details.

However, the new rumor also has some fresh information, with OvO Baby Sauce OvO positing a serious upgrade for the ultrawide camera. The suggestion is that the iPhone 16 Pro Max’s ultrawide is a 48MP lens, four times that of the predecessor’s 12MP camera. Given the arrival of phones like the Xiaomi 14 Ultra and the Honor Magic6 Pro, each with 50MP ultrawide cameras, in the last few months, it’s no wonder Apple is increasing its own ultrawide’s megapixel count to keep up with the competition.

It’s not just improvements for the iPhone 16 Pro Max we’ve got to look forward to according to this new information, though. Apparently, the 16 Pro is also getting the 48MP ultrawide, with Apple reportedly upgrading the telephoto camera to match the iPhone 15 Pro Max’s 5x zoom. Combine this with reports of a big design change for the 16 Pro, and the step-down from the Pro Max could be more attractive than ever in Apple’s next-generation lineup.

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Of course, with any rumor like this, it’s worth taking the details with a pinch of salt until we get official confirmation from Apple. The tipster responsible for the new details has a pretty mixed track record, but we’ve seen them accurately report details in advance of launch dates before. Either way, we’ll be keeping an ear to the ground for any more details as we approach the anticipated iPhone 16 launch date.

With that, you’re up to date on the latest rumor surrounding iPhone 16 Pro Max camera upgrades. Before heading out, be sure to check out what the Android alternatives have to offer with our guides to the best Google Pixel phones, the best Xiaomi phones, and the best Samsung phones.