According to well-connected KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple will not be adding the dual camera system found in the iPhone 7 Plus into the smaller iPhone model next year.
While the information is not official, it certainly seems that the rumor mill for next year's iPhones is already churning. The fact that the statement came from Kuo, who is possibly the best analyst for Apple news in the industry, gives this rumor more credibility.
According to Kuo, Apple will likely be keeping the dual camera system on the high-end iPhone Plus models next year due to the cost considerations and the niche appeal of the feature.
Kuo claims that the dual camera of the iPhone 7 Plus is not yet a "mass-market killer application," despite being an attractive feature for users who are avid picture takers and even professional photographers.
The cost of implementing the dual camera system stands at about $30 to $40, along with the need for Apple to enhance the added value of the iPhone Plus models, has led Kuo to expect that only the 5.5-inch model of the iPhone next year will have such a feature in place.
Kuo also said that the dual camera system will be getting improvements next year. In the iPhone 7 Plus, only the wide-angle camera comes with optical image stabilization, with the telephoto camera not coming with the feature. Kuo believes that optical image stabilization will be added to the telephoto camera in next year's iPhone Plus model, which would greatly improve the quality of optical and digital zoom.
This does not rule out that the 4.7-inch model of the iPhone will receive significant camera improvements next year. However, for users who would like to have the dual camera system for next year's iPhone, they would have to shell out more money for the larger model of the Apple smartphone.
If Apple would be following the release pattern that it has implemented in the past several iPhone models, next year would be an "S" cycle for the smartphone, wherein the improvements would be focusing on the device's internal rather than on its external design.
However, rumors claim that Apple will instead launch a massively overhauled iPhone, skipping the iPhone 7s name into the iPhone 8 or iPhone X, as the smartphone will be turning 10 years old.
The iPhone 8 that Apple is said to be planning to release next year will have an OLED display, no physical Home button and wireless charging features.
