The iPhone 17 lineup, arriving in 2025, is said to receive a substantial front-facing camera and lens upgrade. One notable analyst predicts that a 24MP sensor will be added, along with a 6P lens, delivering unrivaled image quality improvements. However, this duo is also said to eat into Apple’s margins as the component cost is said to jump up massively in 2025.
Apple’s rumored shift to a 6P lens for the iPhone 17 series means the unit cost for this component can jump by 120 percent
The current lineup, which includes the iPhone 15 models, ships with a 12MP front-facing sensor and a 5P lens. Since analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has not spoken about upgrades arriving to the iPhone 16, the latter will likely miss out on the 24MP sensor and 6P lens. Genius, one of Apple’s suppliers, will reportedly be responsible for providing those upgraded cameras.
Being an exclusive partner means that it will enjoy a revenue influx in 2025, not just because it is the only entity providing shipments for this particular part but also because of how expensive this camera and lens pairing will be. Kuo notes that the 24MP front-facing camera and 6P lens will deliver improved image quality but at the expense of increased cost. The 6P lens for the iPhone 17 is said to be between 100 – 120 percent more expensive than the 5P variant, and while it means that Apple has to figure out another way to retain its margins, its supplier Genius will be running all the way to the bank.
Overall, Genius’ revenue in the second half of 2025 is rumored to reach NT$3 billion or approximately $107 million. While we are on the subject of cameras, analyst Jeff Pu stated earlier that the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max will ship with a 48MP main camera, with one of its goals being to interact seamlessly with the Apple Vision Pro. Apple has also been reported to be working on a tetraprism telephoto camera with a 10x optical zoom, but it is unclear if this technology will debut on the 2025 models.
For those who do not know, ‘6P’ refers to the number of lens elements that allow more light to enter, while the 24MP front-facing will increase an individually captured image resolution compared to a 12MP unit. Kuo has not mentioned what video recording upgrades we should expect next year, but we will likely stumble on that information soon, so stay tuned.
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