Apple has historically downplayed the significance of megapixels in measuring image quality, and the company may stick to that approach once again later this year with another 8-megapixel camera in its next-generation iPhone, according to a new rumor.
Any improvements to the camera of the so-called "iPhone 6s" may come in the form of other, non-megapixel changes, according to Jeff Pu, an analyst Yuanta Securities Investment Consulting Co. Quoted on monday by the Taipei Times, Pu said he expects the next iPhone to have the same 8-megapixel count as the current iPhone 6.
As with the current iPhone, it's expected that Largan will supply camera lenses for Apple's 2015 iPhone refresh, the analyst said. He downgraded his outlook on Largan stock.
Rather than focusing on megapixels, Pu said that he expects high-end smartphone cameras, like those in Apple's iPhone, to focus on features such as optical image stabilization and faster autofocus. That's expected to benefit module makers more than lens makers, he said.
There have been rumors that Apple could introduce a significant jump in camera quality with this year's iPhone refresh with a new two-lens system. John Gruber claimed last November that the new system would somehow offer "DSLR quality imagery."
Claims of a dual-lens camera system were again reiterated last month in a report that claimed Apple would include optical zoom capabilities for the first time in an iPhone. The new camera module was also rumored to improve low-light performance by allowing more light to reach the sensor.
Monday's report, however, made no mention of the rumored dual-lens system.
In recent years, Apple has debuted its new iPhone models in the fall. If the company sticks to its current release schedule, the so-called "iPhone 6s" would be introduced and go on sale in September.