Forward-looking: Apple is reportedly moving forward with a four-phase camera upgrade plan for future iPhones that's expected to kick off this fall with the iPhone 18 Pro. According to a reputable Chinese leaker, the next premium iPhone will feature a variable aperture camera lens – a first for Apple.
Digital Chat Station, a popular account on the Chinese social media app Weibo, claims the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max will ship with the new feature on the main rear camera. Since the iPhone 14 Pro, the primary cameras on the rear of the top-tier iPhones have used a fixed f/1.78 aperture lens.
The aperture of a camera lens is the technical term for the opening that controls how much light makes its way to the image sensor, which in turn plays a key role in creating a perfectly exposed image along with things like shutter speed and ISO. Aperture is measured in f-stops. A lower number translates to a larger opening, which lets in more light, and creates those blurry backgrounds that everyone loves. Higher numbers equate to smaller holes and less light, but bring more of the image into focus.
Traditional cameras often feature adjustable apertures comprised of diaphragm blades that open and close to let in light as desired, but it's relatively rare to see on mobile devices. Samsung experimented with variable aperture on its earlier Galaxy phones including the S9 and S10 series, but eventually abandoned the feature.
A variable aperture on an iPhone would give users more control over their photography – for example, helping to avoid overexposure in brightly-lit environments.
The leaker also mentioned a 1/1.12-inch "ultra-large" main camera sensor, enhanced optical image stabilization for ultra-wide lens, and a 200-megapixel periscope telephoto lens, although the indication is that these features are planned for later models beyond the iPhone 18 Pro family.
The 200-megapixel rumor isn't new, as we reported on it last month as a potential way for Apple to better challenge Samsung in the mobile photography space.