iPhone 14 Pro may get a 48MP camera, and a big performance upgrade

iPhone 13 Pro Max
The iPhone 13 Pro (left) and iPhone 13 Pro Max camera (Image credit: TechRadar)

The iPhone 13 series isn't even three months old, but our attention has already turned to Apple's 2022 series of smartphones that we expect to feature the iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Max, iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max.

According to a new report, the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max may be set for a major camera upgrade that includes a 48MP main camera. That's up from the 12MP camera on the last few generations of Pro iPhones.

This comes from an analyst, so take it with a pinch of salt for now. However, Haitong International Securities believes these new upgrades will be ready to land on the Pro models of 2022's iPhones.

This was according to a note that was seen by MacRumors, and it matches what we've previously heard from analyst Ming-Chi Kuo that earlier this year predicted an upgrade to a 48MP camera.

The new report says it'll be paired with 12MP ultra-wide and telephoto cameras, which matches what we've seen on the last few generations of iPhone.

The new note comes with an additional tidbit, which is that Apple may be upgrading to 8GB of RAM in the new Pro models. Previously, Apple has included 6GB of RAM as a maximum in its iPhone models.

8GB of RAM would better match what we see in Android phones - although we commonly now see more than that in those - and may mean Apple can make some performance improvements.

None of this is certain, and there's likely to be a few changes to the iPhone 14 series as we wait for the next-gen Apple phones. We currently expect to hear about the new handsets in September 2022, but we'll likely hear plenty more rumors and leaks before then.


Opinion: It's not all about megapixels

This rumored camera upgrade for the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max is exciting, but I'd like to hear a few more details before I truly get my hopes up for the iPhone 14 series.

Apple's iPhone 13 series featured some of the best camera phones on the market, and upgrading to a higher megapixel camera is unlikely to harm Apple's camera prowess.

In fact, this could make Apple's camera performance even better than we've seen in the past, but I'm more excited to hear about new features.

One leak has previously claimed the camera will include 8K video recording. That feature isn't particularly exciting for me as someone who doesn't have an easy way to watch 8K footage, but I'm keen to learn what else the phones might bring.

2021 brought features like Cinematic Mode, so we may see some exciting introductions on the iPhone 14 range that do similar for Apple's camera capabilities.

James Peckham

James is Managing Editor for Android Police. Previously, he was Senior Phones Editor for TechRadar, and he has covered smartphones and the mobile space for the best part of a decade bringing you news on all the big announcements from top manufacturers making mobile phones and other portable gadgets. James is often testing out and reviewing the latest and greatest mobile phones, smartwatches, tablets, virtual reality headsets, fitness trackers and more. He once fell over.