Apple preparing to include periscope lenses in future iPhone models

A new research note from Ming-Chi Kuo claims Apple is shaking up its lens supply chain, noting one of the new suppliers will help provide periscope lenses in 2022.

In a note seen by iMore, Kuo notes that the two strongest lens suppliers in Korea and China, Sunny Optical and Semco will join Apple's lens supply chain later this year and at the beginning of next year respectively.

Kuo says the move will benefit Apple by diversifying its supply chain, dispersing risk, reducing the cost of lenses, and developing new technologies.

Where it gets interesting, is that Kuo states that Chinese supplier Semco will begin shipping iPhone lenses, including periscope motors and telephoto lenses in 2022. This would seem to suggest that Apple plans to include periscope technology in a future mobile camera. Kuo specifically mentions a periscope telephoto lens, as well as voice coil motor technology which will ship in 2022.

Kuo further notes that Semco may have joined in time to include its own periscope voice coil motor in the new iPhone 12, abandoning current plans for a spring-type design.

The suppliers mentioned will also ship lenses for iPads and Macs at the beginning of next year, suggesting upgrades might be on the cards for those devices too.

A periscope lens is a rumored feature of the upcoming Galaxy Note 20 Ultra, the inclusion of which could give users much improved optical zoom of up to 5x, a key benefit of the technology.