M5 MacBook models to get new compact camera module in 2025

Apple will hire a new supplier of compact camera modules (CCMs) for future MacBook models powered by the next-generation M5 chip in 2025, according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

In his latest investor note on Medium, Kuo said that Apple will turn to Sunny Optical for the CCM in its M5 MacBooks. The Chinese optical lens company will mass-produce the CCMs in Vietnam, providing a complete imaging system integrated into a compact form factor for the new laptops.

The main suppliers of camera modules for MacBooks are currently LG InnoTek and Sharp. In Apple’s optical components supply chain, only Sunny Optical can simultaneously supply CCM and lenses in one package, giving the company the advantage of vertical integration. If supplies for MacBooks go smoothly, Kuo predicts that Sunny Optical could also become the new CCM supplier for future iPhone and iPad models.

Apple plans to update the 14-inch MacBook Pro with an M4 chip as early as late 2024, and we could see a refresh before the end of the year. The high-end 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models are also expected to get a late 2024 refresh with M4 Pro and M4 Max chips.

According to Apple, Apple is working on a thinner version of the MacBook Pro Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman. The ultra-thin 2024 iPad Pro serves as a model for Apple’s upcoming design philosophy, which sees the company plan to offer “the thinnest and lightest products” in every category across the tech industry.

It’s unclear when a thinner MacBook Pro might arrive, as there have been no rumors of design changes for the 2024 refresh, but it’s possible that 2025 could be the year Apple introduces redesigned laptops based on its M5 chip. Apple has also been rumored to be working on Face ID for the Mac, and it’s likely the MacBook Pro will be one of the first Macs to get Face ID, but there are no concrete details on when that might happen.