Apple's iPhone 15 Pro Max camera could destroy the competition

Commonly, when a new series of iPhones is released, deciding between the Pro and Pro Max model is pretty easy – it's simply a matter of dimensions. But if new rumours are to be believed, Apple might be working harder to differentiate the two models this time around.

We've already heard rumours that the iPhone 15 Pro Max will feature a camera with an incredible optical zoom that the standard 15 Pro will go without – and now a noted analyst has suggested this will be the case. And the Pro Max will also feature an exclusively high price tag, too. (Don't fancy waiting? Check out the best iPhone 14 deals available now.)

As reported by 9to5Mac, noted Apple analyst Jeff Put claims that the iPhone 15 line up is set to enter mass production in August, with "the new periscope zoom lens will be exclusive to the iPhone 15 Pro Max, giving the Pro Max the best camera system." But this means the already whopping $1,099 price tag of the Pro Max model is set to increase even further.

Periscope lenses, as the name suggests, use mirrors to achieve a much higher optical zoom in a tiny package. The tech has already made its way into a few smartphones – Huawei's P40 Pro Plus (below) uses a periscope lens to achieve an incredible 10x optical zoom without loss of quality and, when combined with digital zoom, can even hit 50x.

Indeed, with the iPhone 14 Pro, Apple widened the gulf between the Pro and non-Pro models, with features such as Dynamic Island exclusive to the latter. And if a periscope lens only hits the 15 Pro Max, then users are going to face an even tougher choice this September. For a full rundown of rumours about this year's devices, check out our iPhone 15 roundup.