Apple's next super-sized iPhone should boast a dual-camera system with advanced features, banking on LinX imaging technology.
It's not the first time we heard about an upcoming iPhone 7 with dual cameras, but more information now seems to bolster such claims.
Ming-Chi Kuo, a well-connected analyst at KGI Securities, expects Apple to make good use of its LinX acquisition from 2015.
Apple finally moved to bigger screen sizes with its iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus and confirmed the trend with its subsequent iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus. In a new investors note cited by AppleInsider, Kuo says Apple will likely continue this trend, releasing two new iPhone models this year, but with a notable variation.
Kuo believes that Apple will equip the "regular" iPhone 7 with an iSight main camera, while the jumbo 5.5-inch iPhone 7 Plus will rock two versions. One version would sport a single camera, while the other would rock two rear cameras.
Rumors of an iPhone with a dual rear camera setup have been making rounds for quite some time, yet nothing materialized so far. Nevertheless, Kuo thinks the next generation of iPhones will finally make the jump.
Apple acquired Israeli company LinX in 2015, which specializes in pulling high-quality images from tiny configurations with multiple lenses. LinX technology could shine brightly in the next-generation iPhone 7 Plus, bringing great improvements in the smartphone's imaging technology.
"For its first foray into dual-CCM imaging, Apple is expected to source hardware from longtime supplier Sony. Both of the iPhone 7 Plus' CCMs will be 12-megapixel compact image sensors (CIS), one supporting optical image stabilization and a wider field of view, while the other will come loaded for bear with a 2-3x telephoto lens," AppleInsider reports.
It remains unclear, however, whether the iPhone 7 Plus model with a single camera will feature optical zoom capabilities as well. The dual-camera model will likely cost more than the single-camera one, but it's too early to speculate on pricing at this point.
Lastly, Kuo estimates that the iPhone 7 Plus model with dual cameras will make up between 25 and 35 percent of all iPhone 7 Plus units Apple ships this year.
Kuo has a good track record when it comes to Apple predictions, but it's still advisable to take everything with a grain of salt until formal confirmation.
