iPhone 14 Pro Camera Upgrade Could Come With A Price Shock

According to Kuo, Apple is likely to replace the ultra-wide camera on the iPhone 14 Pro series with a larger sensor. This sensor also boasts a bigger pixel size (1.4µm pixels) compared to the outgoing models, which had a pixel size of just 1.0µm. On paper, this should translate to better low-light sensitivity and a reduction in noise levels. While all this sounds great for the camera capabilities of the iPhone 14 lineup, these improvements could also drive up the prices of these phones. The main culprits behind this impending cost increase are three key camera components; in his thread, Kuo refers to the “CIS (image sensor), VCM (voice coil motor), and CCM (camera module)” specifically. On the iPhone 14, each of these modules has witnessed a price jump of “about 70%, 45%, and 40%, respectively,” according to Kuo. 

Strange as it may sound, a similar price hike doesn’t seem to be happening with the rest of the camera system on the iPhone 14 Pro. This is despite the fact that the iPhone 14 Pro series may feature camera upgrades across the board. The primary wide-angle sensor on the iPhone 14 Pro, for instance, is rumored to feature a 1/1.3-inch sensor this year compared to the older 1/1.65-inch sensor on the iPhone 13 Pro models. The cost of this improved sensor hasn’t changed much despite boasting several improvements.

With just a week left for the iPhone 14 series to arrive, we don’t need to wait too long to see if Apple decides to pass the increased cost of the improved ultrawide sensor onto consumers.