Apple Expands iPhone 16Pro Camera System, Crystal Optoelectronics Benefits
TapTechNews July 11th news, Kuo Ming-chi today released an investment brief, stating that Apple is expanding the iPhone 16Pro camera system to equip it with the same 5x optical zoom 12MP four-prism periscope lens as the iPhone 15ProMax, and Crystal Optoelectronics becomes one of the important beneficiaries of the supply chain.
Kuo Ming-chi said that many investors are worried that Apple may use plastic prisms to replace glass prisms in the future, but his latest supply chain survey shows that Apple's iPhone products in the next few years will continue to use glass prisms. TapTechNews attached Kuo Ming-chi's brief content as follows:
iPhone 16 (2H24):
The iPhone 16Pro and ProMax will both adopt a four-reflection prism camera (with the same specifications as the iPhone 15ProMax).
The penetration rate of the four-reflection prism camera increases from 35–40% of the iPhone 15 series to 60–65% of the iPhone 16 series, so the shipment of the four-reflection prism camera grows significantly by about 160% year-on-year in 2024.
In addition to the growth in shipments, Crystal Optoelectronics' revenue and profit also benefit from the increase in supply proportion from 70–75% in 2023 to more than 80% in 2024. Another key is that the capital expenditure and R&D expenses in 2024 will be significantly reduced, which is also conducive to profit growth.
iPhone 17 (2H25) & iPhone 18 (2H26):
The high-end iPhone 17 model is expected to be equipped with an upgraded four-reflection prism camera, and the key specification change is from the 1/3.1 12 million CIS of the iPhone 16 to the 1/2.6 48 million CIS. The CIS upgrade is beneficial to the photo quality and zoom function.
It has not been determined whether only the iPhone 17ProMax is equipped with the upgraded four-reflection prism camera. If so, the iPhone 18Pro in 2H26 will also be equipped with the upgraded four-reflection prism camera.
The upgraded four-reflection prism camera needs to adopt a new designed prism. To reduce the height of the four-reflection prism camera, the prism needs to be designed into a shorter appearance. Considering the continuous improvement of the new design and production yield, it is expected that the prism business revenue and profit of Crystal Optoelectronics will further grow in 2025 and 2026.
iPhone 19 (2H27):
The four-reflection prism camera will once again迎来 a significant upgrade in specifications on the new iPhone in 2027, and the upgrade magnitude is higher than that of the iPhone 17 & iPhone 18. It is expected that the four-reflection prism camera of the new iPhone in 2H27 will support a higher optical zoom ratio.
There are several ways to increase the optical zoom ratio, and one of the most feasible methods is to increase the number of prisms to elongate the light travel path (if so, it won't be called a four-reflection prism then). And if you want to increase the number of prisms, it may be necessary to reduce the prism volume, which will also increase the design complexity of the prism, all of which are beneficial to the operating momentum of Crystal Optoelectronics.