One of the most common complaints among iPhone users is lens flare when taking photos. When the image features a bright light source like the Sun in the background, it’s likely that users will see some lens flare in their pictures.
Last year, leaker yeux1122 mentioned that Apple was testing a new camera lens coating to prevent iPhone lens flare. However, when the iPhone 16 Pro became available, we realized the issue wasn’t fixed, and Apple hadn’t included this miraculous fix.
Still, Patently Apple might offer some hope, as the US Patent Office recently published a patent application for Apple’s potential fix for its longtime lens flare problem.
According to the patent, Apple may use optically absorptive gratings in its camera modules. These gratings are ultra-thin layers with tiny shapes that absorb light.
The grating blocks the “bad” light, so your iPhone only captures the “good” light. This could allow you to capture a beautiful picture of the Moon without any lens flare. As the patent explains, the tiny shapes can be arranged in straight lines or in a zigzag pattern, all built on top of a thin base.
This could make the next iPhone camera smarter and sharper, with photos looking clearer and better even in tricky lighting.
However, it’s still unclear when this feature will arrive. So far, the camera upgrades expected for the iPhone 17 Pro focus on resolution and functions, but not on this specific fix.
For example, BGR reported that Apple is planning a 48MP telephoto camera with a smaller zoom in 48MP but a 7x 12MP zoom. There are also rumors that Apple will allow users to record in 8K for the first time, and the front-facing camera is expected to get a 24MP lens.
