Apple plans variable-aperture main camera for iPhone 18 Pro models

Apple plans to equip the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max with a variable-aperture main camera, industry sources say, a hardware change intended to improve low-light performance and give users more control over depth of field. The component move is reported to be in active development with a production ramp targeting the devices due in the fall of 2026.

A variable aperture lets a lens mechanically widen or narrow to change the amount of light that reaches the sensor and to alter depth of field, potentially opening wider in dim conditions and stopping down in bright scenes to preserve highlight detail. Apple has not used variable apertures on iPhones before; the main lenses on the iPhone 14 Pro through iPhone 17 Pro have a fixed aperture of f/1.78. According to industry participants, the variable-aperture module for the iPhone 18 Pro models would replace the current main wide-angle camera and sit alongside existing ultrawide and telephoto units.

Several manufacturing partners are said to be involved in the project. Module work is reportedly being handled by LG Innotek and Foxconn, while the mechanical actuators that adjust the aperture are expected to be produced by Luxshare...