iPhone 18 Pro to Feature Groundbreaking Variable Aperture Camera

The iPhone Pro series is set to receive a significant camera upgrade, but it won’t happen with the current iPhone 16 Pro or even the upcoming iPhone 17 Pro. According to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, this groundbreaking change will debut with the iPhone 18 Pro models, featuring a main rear camera equipped with variable aperture technology. The details were shared in a recent Medium post.

A variable aperture, which is commonly found in DSLR cameras, allows the lens opening to adjust in size. This gives photographers control over how much light enters the sensor, which can impact the depth of field and overall photo quality. Users will have the flexibility to switch between different f-stops, providing better adaptability to diverse lighting situations and more opportunities to create artistic images.

While variable aperture technology is still rare among smartphones, it isn’t entirely new. The Xiaomi 14 Ultra and its predecessor, the Xiaomi 13 Ultra, already offer this capability. Samsung, too, experimented with variable aperture systems in its Galaxy S9 Plus, though that model utilized older technology. Samsung’s more recent devices, such as the Galaxy S24 Ultra, do not feature this advanced camera technology.

Apple’s decision to embrace variable aperture lenses will involve working with suppliers like China-based Sunny Optical and Taiwan’s Largan Precision, according to Kuo. Meanwhile, the current iPhone 14 Pro models use a fixed aperture of ƒ/1.78, and similar specifications are expected for the upcoming iPhone 17 Pro series, likely set for a September release.

Apple’s consistent focus on enhancing its iPhone cameras has been a hallmark since the original model launched in 2007. With the expected variable aperture system on the iPhone 18 Pro, the company is poised to make another significant leap, potentially transforming smartphone photography by 2026.