The iPhone 18 family has once again been reported to receive a camera upgrade next year that will involve the use of variable aperture technology. This optics upgrade will bring several improvements to still imaging and video recording. However, customers are sadly expected to spend more to experience variable aperture technology, as it may be exclusive to the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max.
In an unsurprising update, variable aperture technology will be exclusive to the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max
The iPhone cameras have been a subject of controversy because Apple has been late in adopting certain standards. For instance, the iPhone 15 Pro Max was the company’s first device to feature a telephoto lens, whereas Apple’s competition had adopted it for years. For those who do not remember, Samsung introduced variable aperture technology when it announced the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+, but for some reason, this upgrade fell out of favor with the Korean manufacturer.
According to ETNews, Apple has finalized the installation plan and is preparing the commercialization of various components. This technology has previously been talked about by TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who mentioned that Largan will be the secondary supplier of the core components to cover the remainder of the shipments, with Sunny Optical being the chief manufacturer. We have also stated that Besi, a Dutch-based firm, would provide the blades that expand and contract to adjust the aperture value.
Regarding the supply chain details from the latest report, LG Innotek and Foxconn will manufacture the variable aperture, with the actuator provided by Luxshare and Sunny Optical. As for why Apple is moving forward to introduce this technology to the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, it is likely due to the growing saturation of the smartphone market and the inability of manufacturers to offer any notable differences from the competition. Apple, with its software ecosystem and superior computational photography prowess, will provide buyers with another reason to spend a premium by giving them an exclusive feature to obtain bragging rights on.
The report also mentions that Samsung decided to omit this feature from its Galaxy S series due to the increased camera thickness and expensive component prices. With Apple ditching titanium alloy in favor of aluminum, perhaps with the iPhone maker’s biggest rival switching build materials, it could bring back variable aperture technology to the Galaxy S27 series to compete with the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max.
News Source: ETNews
About the author: Omar Sohail is a reporter and analyst for Wccftech's mobile section, specializing in the technology and business of the mobile industry. His expertise lies in the intricate hardware supply chain, covering developments in semiconductor manufacturing, chip lithography, and camera sensor technology.
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