According to a new report, the upcoming iPhone 14 lineup will feature a higher-end front-facing camera with built-in autofocus that will be assembled in South Korea. This is the first time a South Korean company will supply this component to Apple.
The front-facing camera of the iPhone 14 is going to cost Apple 3x more to assemble
As reported by Korean IT News, Apple replaced a Chinese company in favor of LG Innotek, a South Korean company, to supply components for the upcoming iPhone’s front-facing camera alongside Japan’s Sharp. As per the report, Apple initially planned to switch to LG with next year’s iPhone lineup but decided to transition in time for the iPhone 14.
Originally, Chinese manufacturers and Japan’s Sharp were the main suppliers for the iPhone’s front camera. The front camera is one-third of the unit price of the rear-facing camera. It had been regarded a low-cost part. The South Korean parts industry have mainly tried to enter the supply chain for iPhone’s rear-facing camera.
The switch from a Chinese supplier to LG is due to Apple reclassifying the front-facing camera as a “high-end” component in conjunction with supply chain concerns with Chinese suppliers. The publication reports that the unit cost of front-facing cameras for the iPhone 14 has risen nearly three times compared to previous generations. The price hike is attributed to “the advancement in functions” with features such as autofocus.
Today’s report can be corroborated by a previous report from TF Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo who said that Apple will upgrade the front camera of its upcoming flagship lineup to include improved autofocus. Kuo further stated that all four models in the lineup will feature a wider ƒ/1.9 aperture along with improved autofocus.
LG Innotek has started gearing up for the mass production of the iPhone 14’s front-facing camera ahead of the device’s debut in the fall.
Based on previous industry reports, we predict that the upcoming iPhone 14 lineup will feature a thicker design and a larger rear-camera bump. In addition, the Pro models will be powered by the next-generation A16 Bionic chip and will sport a 48MP rear camera system.
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