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The iPhone 15 Pro Max’s camera bump size doesn’t matter

Published Feb 27th, 2023 6:50AM EST
Apple iPhone 14 Pro Front
Image: Christian de Looper for BGR

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The iPhone 15 Pro Max, also known as the iPhone 15 Ultra in some rumors, will deliver the best possible camera experience Apple can offer. According to most reports, the Pro Max should be the only model of the four to feature a periscope camera. The lens will improve the phone’s optical zoom capabilities beyond what the smaller iPhone 15 Pro’s capabilities. What won’t matter in all of this is the iPhone 15 Pro Max’s camera bump size.

You shouldn’t worry about the phone wobbling on flat surfaces or about protecting it using cases or camera bump protectors. And you should absolutely stop whining about how big the camera bump is getting on iPhone and all other smartphone models.

Yes, most smartphones look amazing until you flip them over. Regardless of the placement or number of lenses, the camera module on the back is not pretty. And it creates a bump that makes it impossible to place the phone on the back of a table without wobbling. The rear camera might also impact your wireless charging experience.

There’s a very good reason we tolerate camera bumps on iPhone and all Android handsets. It’s the compromise that gets us amazing photos, including low-light photography that made incredible advances over the years.

To achieve these capabilities, phones need good camera hardware and intelligent software. That hardware is taking up more and more space on the back. The rear cameras have optical image stabilization, larger sensors, and an increasing number of lenses. They also feature sturdy glass to protect them. All of this takes up space on the back.

The next-gen iPhone will be no different. Even if the iPhone 15 Pro Max uses LG’s smaller periscope camera for better zoom. I’ll take a wobbly iPhone with an ugly camera bump on the back any day over a phone with a flat back. The latter won’t match the camera performance of the former.

Like all its predecessors, the iPhone 15 Pro Max will feature a triple-lens camera module on the back. And leaker Ice Universe, who usually deals in Samsung leaks, has provided some details about the handset’s camera module. From the looks of it, the camera bump is shrinking. But only slightly.

It’s an exciting rumor for some iPhone users who have had to deal with camera bumps for years. But it’s not that exciting. Nor should you expect Apple to ditch the camera bump anytime soon. None of its competitors will either.

The leaker obtained CAD files for the largest iPhone 15 model, complete with size details. If the information is accurate, the camera bump will measure 11.84mm in thickness, slightly down from the iPhone 14 Pro Max’s 12.03mm. It’s not a big deal in the grand scheme of things.

The rear camera module might seem smaller in renders because Apple is also tweaking the thickness of the iPhone 15 Pro Max. If the leaker’s data is accurate, the phone will be 8.25mm thick compared to 7.85mm for the iPhone 14 Pro Max. That will make the camera bump less obvious than before. But it will still be there, and there’s no reason to panic about it.

Chris Smith Senior Writer

Chris Smith has been covering consumer electronics ever since the iPhone revolutionized the industry in 2008. When he’s not writing about the most recent tech news for BGR, he brings his entertainment expertise to Marvel’s Cinematic Universe and other blockbuster franchises.

Outside of work, you’ll catch him streaming almost every new movie and TV show release as soon as it's available.