We're only a day away from Apple's April 20, 2021, event where rumors suggest new iMacs, iPads, and the long-awaited AirTags. In a recent report from MacRumors, known Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo told investors that the 2022 Apple iPhones could receive a big bump in camera performance. Specifically, a 48-megapixel sensor that can shoot 8K video. 

In terms of pixel size, the ‌iPhone 12‌, iPhone 13, and new 2H22 ‌iPhone‌ are about 1.7um, 2um, and 1.25um, respectively. We believe that the new 2H22 ‌iPhone‌ may support direct 48MP output and 12MP (four cells merge output mode) output simultaneously. With 12MP output, the CIS pixel size of the new 2H22 ‌iPhone‌ increases to about 2.5um, which is significantly larger than the ‌iPhone 12‌ and ‌iPhone 13‌, and larger than existing Android phones, and close to the DSC level. We believe that the camera quality of the new 2H22 ‌iPhone‌ will elevate mobile phone camera photography to a new level.


The 2021 phones are not even on the market yet, and if you're someone who doesn't upgrade your phone each year, it might be worth waiting on if true. A hitch in Apple's phones since the 6S/6s Plus is that they've been stuck shooting 4K for quite some time, while competitors running Android have supported 8K video for years.

While the 4K video on iPhones has dramatically improved with new iterations, smartphones that support 8K resolution are often better suited for extended reality (XR), and for iPhone's augmented and mixed reality. XR can create unwanted softness or artifacts in the image. With a bump in resolution, the XR experience can look more realistic and life-like, immersing users. 

Kuo also says that two of the 2022 iPhones will be high-end and two will be lower-end models, which follows the footsteps of the iPhone 12 family. Another tidbit mentioned was that Apple may discontinue the iPhone mini after 2021 because of low sales, which would be unfortunate. The 5.4" iPhone mini is our favorite out of the iPhone 12 lineup because of its compact footprint. Let's hope Kuo is wrong on that one. 

What do you think of Apple bringing 8K to iPhones? Let us know in the comments below. 

Source: Mac Rumors