According to a new investor note written by a respected Apple analyst, the iPhone 12 will see some attractive upgrades to its camera. However, it will likely take a couple more years for Apple to approach one of the best features of Samsung's Galaxy S20 Ultra.

Ming-Chi Kuo's latest prediction, seen by AppleInsider, mentions that the iPhone 12's camera module will be improved, with at least one lens having a seven-section (7P) plastic element. This will likely be manufactured by component manufacturer Genius, which is new for Apple. The company currently relies on Largan Precision to manufacture lenses, including those for the iPhone 11 series.

Kuo said that the 5.4-inch iPhone 12 and one of the 6.1-inch models will both feature OLED screens and dual rear camera arrays. The second 6.1-inch and 6.7-inch models will also feature a triple camera array with an additional time-of-flight sensor, he noted.

Both the 5.4-inch and 6.1-inch models will feature a wide camera with a 1/2.6-inch 7P lens; the 6.7-inch iPhone 12 will have a larger 1/1.9-inch 7P lens that supports "sensor shift." This is a technology that allows the camera sensor inside the phone to move slightly, allowing it to capture more detail and create higher resolution images.

We have heard previous rumors that the iPhone 12 will feature a 64MP main camera sensor, a significant step up from the 12MP camera currently used in the iPhone 11 series. This is because the sensor change is a perfect opportunity to overhaul the lens element as well.

In addition, Kuo said that the iPhone 13 will use a 7P lens for the telephoto camera and that additional models will support sensor shift. iPhone 14 would be Apple's first phone with a periscope zoom camera with built-in Genius, which is similar to the one Samsung uses in the Galaxy S 20 sounds a lot like the one used in the Ultra. Except that Apple is two years late to the party.

Why a 7P lens is better: the iPhone 11 Pro currently uses a six-segment (6P) plastic lens, but adding a seventh lens could help in a number of ways. Not only could it potentially help with zoom lens magnification, but it could also help remove various distortions in the image, such as the color and shape of objects.

We expect four iPhone 12 models to debut at some point this September. However, we cannot forget the potential impact of the coronavirus pandemic. Apple seems to be doing well so far, but it is still unclear if this will continue.