- 0-20%: Unlikely - Lacks credible sources
- 21-40%: Questionable - Some concerns remain
- 41-60%: Plausible - Reasonable evidence
- 61-80%: Probable - Strong evidence
- 81-100%: Highly Likely - Multiple reliable sources
80%
Probable
The lack of internal space inside the iPhone Air limited Apple’s options in adding a second camera to complement the 48MP Fusion sensor. Fortunately, the company’s engineers are rumored to be adding another 48MP ultrawide-angle unit to the iPhone Air 2, bringing a vital upgrade to the table to enhance still shots and video capture. The technology giant will also mix things up by adding telephoto capabilities, similar to those found on the first-generation iPhone Air, but expect the experience to be highly limited.
Apple apparently has zero intentions of adding a dedicated telephoto lens on the iPhone Air 2 and will rely on digital cropping just like it has on the iPhone Air
The iPhone Air can currently utilize digital cropping from the main 48MP camera to provide a 1x or 2x optical-equivalent zoom without harming the image quality. According to ETNews, Apple is implementing the same feature on the iPhone Air 2, though the way the report has been worded gives the impression that the company is experimenting with a brand-new feature.
The Korean outlet has also repeated the exact details mentioned by Weibo tipster Digital Chat Station, and has only added some minor additions at the end. In short, there would be no difference between the iPhone Air and iPhone Air 2 unless an update to Apple’s plans is provided down the road.
As for why the iPhone Air 2 cannot accommodate an actual telephoto zoom kit, it is likely due to the increased space required by the prism hardware, forcing Apple to increase the ‘plateau’ size. For those thinking that a physical telephoto configuration should exist on the iPhone Air 2, the iPhone 17 lacks a tetraprism lens, only offering a wide-angle and an ultrawide-angle camera for users.
Digital cropping can help ultra-slim smartphones offer a telephoto-like camera experience without adding a separate camera - here is why that matters
The 48MP Fusion main camera on the iPhone Air can digitally crop the 12MP part of the sensor to simulate a zoomed image. The captured detail is then processed as if it were a full image, giving the appearance of an optical zoom effect without changing the focal length. The benefit of digitally cropping an image is that you get optical zoom capabilities without adding a second lens.
The obvious drawback is that the zoom is limited to 1x or, at most, 2x before noticeable quality loss occurs. This makes the tetraprism telephoto zoom lens on the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max a far superior upgrade, as both flagships can support lossless zoom up to 5x magnification. Despite the digital crop formula being inferior on the iPhone Air 2, the upgraded Image Signal Processor (ISP) on the A20 and A20 Pro could produce better image quality, so we look to those upgrades in late 2026.
News Source: ETNews
About the author: Omar Sohail is a reporter and analyst for Wccftech's mobile section, specializing in the technology and business of the mobile industry. His expertise lies in the intricate hardware supply chain, covering developments in semiconductor manufacturing, chip lithography, and camera sensor technology.
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