Although the launch of the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max is still a long way off, almost two years away, some already have some juicy information to share. For once, this is the camera of Apple’s future stars, the component always getting a little closer to dedicated devices.
A device at the level of SLRs?
In a recent blog postsupply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo confirmed that the main rear camera on both iPhone 18 Pro models will include a variable aperture feature, a first for the iPhone. This is the 48-megapixel “Fusion” camera, previously known as the main or wide sensor in previous models.
In practical terms, variable aperture would allow users to adjust the amount of light entering the camera lens, providing greater exposure control. Currently, the iPhone 14 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro models operate with a fixed aperture of ƒ/1.78, always capturing images at the widest aperture. With the iPhone 18 Pro models, this manual aperture control could be a game-changer, mimicking the capabilities of professional DSLR or mirrorless cameras from brands like Sony and Canon.
Kuo already mentioned this feature last month but this time explains that the Dutch company BE Semiconductor will provide the equipment necessary to assemble the aperture blades, which mechanically control the entry of light through the lens.
This upgrade could significantly improve depth-of-field control, allowing for more natural background blur, also known as bokeh, although effectiveness may be limited by the smaller sensor size typical of smartphones. Apple’s existing Portrait mode already simulates this effect digitally, but a larger sensor wouldn’t be amiss. After all, the iPhone has become the most used camera in the world.
Remember that this new feature had been mentioned for a while from the iPhone 17 range, before slipping by a year, for the iPhone 18 Pro.
These models should be released in September 2026, giving us time to confirm all of this.
