iPhone 15 Pro Said to Gain LiDAR Scanner Improvements: Report

Apple’s upcoming iPhone 15 Pro line could get an improved LiDAR Scanner supplied by Sony, according to a new investor note from Barclays analysts Blayne Curtis and Tom O’Malley (via MacRumors).

“Sony could take a majority, if not all, of the share on the world facing sensor in this years’ models with the company providing a module, VCSEL, receiver and driver,” the analysts wrote.

Per a report from November 2022, Sony will also supply new “state of the art” image sensors for the iPhone 15’s camera.

LiDAR was first introduced on the iPhone with the iPhone 12 Pro in 2020. iPhones use LiDAR tech to measure light distance and capture depth information, and the feature is expected to remain exclusive to the “Pro” iPhone models this year.

A better sensor on the iPhone 15 line could contribute to better Night mode photography and camera autofocus, along with enhancements for augmented reality functionality.

The report comes after TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reported last month that Sony had edged out Lumentum and WIN Semiconductors to become the exclusive supplier of LiDAR components for the iPhone 15 Pro line.

According to the tipster, Sony won the supply contract because its LiDAR equipment is more power-efficient and could offer a choice between improved performance over alternatives at the same power consumption, or the same performance with reduced battery usage.

At its heart, the iPhone 15 Pro series will have Apple’s next-generation A17 Bionic chip, which is expected to be produced on TSMC’s 3nm process and bring efficiency improvements of its own.

Other than that, rumours suggest that the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max will ditch Apple’s Lightning connector for a USB-C port and get design updates that may include a titanium chassis, thinner bezels, and curved edges.