The upcoming iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro could feature a higher-end selfie camera with built-in autofocus that will be assembled in South Korea, a new report claims.
Apple has reportedly cut a Chinese supply chain partner and has chosen South Korean company LG Innotek for the new front-facing camera, ET News reported Monday. LG Innotek has since begun mass production of the new camera setup.
The new camera setup is set to cost as much as three times more than previous iPhone front-facing cameras.
According to ET News, the change is a result of Apple classifying the front-facing camera as a "high-end" component instead of a "low-end" one, as well as quality concerns about Chinese suppliers.
Originally, Apple had planned to use LG Innotek as the supplier on the iPhone 15 model in 2023. However, the company has reportedly moved those plans up to 2022.
The new report corroborates rumors from other media outlets and analysts, including Ming-Chi Kuo. Back in April, Kuo said that the iPhone 14 could get an upgraded front camera with autofocus for enhanced FaceTime calls and selfies.
Along with autofocus, Kuo added that the cameras could sport a wider aperture could provide the iPhone models with better Portrait mode capabilities.
Though the ET News report does not mention it, Kuo said that all four iPhone 14 models will get the upgraded front camera.
