Rumors point to Apple asking Jahwa Electronics to build new production facilities for next-gen camera components.
There might be a bigger optical zoom in Apple’s upcoming iPhone 14 and I couldn’t be more excited. There’s reason to believe Apple is gearing up to put an ultra-zoom-capable (above the current 3X) camera in the next iPhone. According to TheElec camera module maker Jahwa Electronics, which builds modules that combine optical image stabilization (OIS) and autofocus, gave Apple a grand tour of the South Korean company’s facilities in Gumi, and Jahwa is now spending 191 billion won on building a brand new production line to support a new device. Granted, these two elements – the Apple tour and a new facility – don’t necessarily add up to Apple iPhone 14 Pro ultra or superzoom, but I’m willing to read the tea leaves. And it’s not just me. 9to5Mac notes that Jahwa supplies camera modules to Samsung and that Jahwa’s technologies are often used in support of a periscope camera system. Why is the periscope so important? With the iPhone 13 Pro, Apple bumped up against the physical limits of linear lens technology, offering just 3X optical zoom while competitors like Samsung manage 10X.
