Apple is reportedly equipping the iPhone 17 Pro with an advanced tetraprism telephoto system offering a 10x optical zoom. This update is highlighted by sources close to the industry, including tech site Wccftech, which consistently tracks camera hardware evolutions in flagship devices.
Concurrent with the camera upgrade, there is chatter about a change in the optical lens supplier for Apple’s next premium model. While the iPhone 15 Pro Max relied on LG Innotek for its camera lenses, the iPhone 17 Pro is expected to switch to a different supplier, said to be a Chinese manufacturer. Industry insiders point to ICT, a Luxshare subsidiary, as the likely partner for Apple’s telephoto assembly in the upcoming release cycle.
No official reason has been published for moving away from LG Innotek. Analysts and insider chatter suggest price negotiations or component quality considerations could have influenced the strategic supplier shift, with LG Innotek reportedly resisting certain terms that Apple sought. Wccftech notes that such supplier changes are not unusual in Apple’s broader strategy to diversify supply chains and optimize performance across its camera stack.
There is also no concrete timeline for when Apple will launch a 10x zoom camera in a consumer-ready model. Observers caution that the 16 Pro family, released prior, is unlikely to be the platform for this new telephoto capability. The prevailing expectation is that the next wave of flagships, potentially the 18 Pro family, or later models, will carry an upgraded tetraprism system with a magnification increase over five times the capability exhibited by the iPhone 15 Pro Max. In the meantime, the industry is watching for any early prototypes, test photos, and firmware cues that might hint at the real-world performance of the envisioned sensor and optics.
In related rumor territory, a separate analyst note has touched on a different Apple product line. It is suggested that the 2026 Apple Watch Ultra could feature a screen that is about 10 percent larger than today’s model, aligning with ongoing trends toward larger, more legible displays for outdoor and fitness-focused wearables. While details remain speculative, the cadence of such reports underscores Apple’s broader push to expand display quality and user experience across its high-end devices, including both iPhone and wearable lines. Sources keeping an eye on supply chains and product roadmaps emphasize that such display enhancements would pair with existing battery and processing improvements to deliver a more immersive user experience on future wearables, alongside ongoing camera innovations on the iPhone side.