While the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are still nearly two years away from launching, a new feature has already been rumored for the devices.
In a blog post today, Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reiterated that the main rear camera on both iPhone 18 Pro models will offer variable aperture, which would be a first for the iPhone. The main camera refers to the 48-megapixel Fusion camera, which was also known as the Main or Wide camera on older iPhone models.
With variable aperture, users would be able to control the amount of light that passes through the camera's lens and reaches the sensor. The main camera on iPhone 14 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro models have a fixed aperture of ƒ/1.78, and the lens is always fully open and shooting with this widest aperture. With the iPhone 18 Pro models, users would be able to manually change the aperture, according to this rumor.
Variable aperture is typically a capability seen on professional DSLR/mirrorless cameras from the likes of Sony and Canon.
Kuo first made this claim last month. Today, he added that Dutch manufacturer BE Semiconductor will supply assembly equipment for the aperture blades, which is the mechanical part that would control how much light passes through the lens.
A variable aperture on iPhone 18 Pro models should provide users with greater control over depth of field, which refers to how sharp a subject appears in the foreground compared to the background. However, given that smartphones have smaller image sensors due to physical size restraints, it is unclear exactly how meaningful this improvement would be.
This rumor will likely evolve over time. Kuo did not say if iPhone 18 Pro models will be getting a larger sensor, but such an upgrade would pave the way for meaningful improvements to depth of field. Apple already offers Portrait mode, which artificially makes the background look more blurry behind a person or other subject in a photo. A larger image sensor would enable that "bokeh" effect more naturally on iPhone 18 Pro models.
Variable aperture was previously rumored for at least one iPhone 17 model, but Kuo believes the feature is slated for iPhone 18 Pro models instead.
iPhone 18 Pro models are expected to launch in September 2026.
