If Apple made a camera I think it would look a bit like this…

Will Apple ever bring out a standalone camera again? The question of an ‘iCamera’ or Apple ‘ProCamera’ has been asked for years now, and while I think a standalone camera to go head-to-head with the likes of Sony, Nikon and Canon, is unlikely, it’s an interesting thought experiment no less. Apple introduced its QuickTake compact cameras in 1994 - but pulled out of the market in 1997. So there has been nearly 30 years of speculation if Apple would offer a standalone camera gain..

I actually think it’s a safer bet that Apple will bring out a modular accessory that attaches to the already existing iPhone or iPad and uses its already powerful processors and large touch screens.

Whatever Apple comes out with, there are a few safe bets. We can be sure it will be made from high-end materials with a sleek, minimalist design for a premium feel – something Apple has mastered across all of its products from iPhones to Macbooks and everything in-between. So it may not look too dissimilar to the Sigma BF with its machined unibody design from a single ingot of aluminum.

While Apple could make its own lens mount, it would be seriously on the backfoot with a lack of lenses to compete with – in this hypothetical situation I think it’s more likely that they would team up to become another member of the full-frame L-mount Alliance, which has the pedigree of premium lens manufacturers like Leica and Sigma in it, or maybe they could come to some arrangement with Canon. Apple has worked closely with Canon in the past, with Canon developing VR and 3D lenses to support content for Apple’s Vision Pro, so perhaps this collaboration could continue.

A modular camera design that clips onto a pre-existing smartphone has been tried before with the likes of Sony’s QX1 and QX10 back in 2014. However, I think these products were too ahead of their time. The advancements in both more user friendly software, smaller components and Apple’s Mag Safe connection could make it a much more sleek and elegant attachment this time around.

One thing is for sure, whatever Apple brings out it’s likely to be disruptive to the photo world and forward thinking with other manufacturers likely to follow suit. A modular camera design may not look too dissimilar to the modifications already being made to iPhones by cinematographers as iPhones are already being modded and used for their brilliant image and video quality on feature films such as Danny Boyle’s 28 Years Later. Whatever Apple comes out with it’s sure to elevate the iPhone’s video features as I have no doubt that Apple would want to shout about how its own television shows on Apple TV were recorded with iPhones as that would be a huge marketing win.

Whether Apple goes for a standalone camera or a modular one for its iPhones, it’s safe to assume that it will have powerful software and processing and no shortage of AI. Its artificial intelligence will be great for noise reduction, upscaling, stabilization, accurate subject tracking autofocus, but it’ll also be fully connected to the Internet so you’ll be able to ask Siri for tips on how to improve your still photos and videos as well integrated into the Apple ecosystem for easy sharing and syncing across devices through iCloud.

Will we ever see a standalone iPhoneCamera? I’m doubtful, though a modular camera that magnetically clips onto an iPhone is much more likely and a patent suggests as much, too. So perhaps we won’t have to wait too long before we see if any of my predictions come to life.

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