65%
Probable
The Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ were the first recipients of Samsung’s variable aperture technology, but for some reason, the Korean giant didn’t believe the feature would bring all that much to the table and dropped it when launching the Galaxy S20 family. However, a tipster claims that the company could bring this technology back because its biggest rival in the smartphone space, Apple, has been reported on multiple occasions to treat its iPhone 18 series to the same upgrade.
New rumor also says that Apple’s iPhone Fold will sport a new form factor, prompting Samsung to experiment with the same change
Apple was never fond of introducing the latest technological standards that the competition has been refining for years, such as when the company launched the iPhone 15 Pro Max with a tetraprism lens that was capable of lossless zoom of up to 5x years after its rivals were launching devices with periscope lenses. After this upgrade arrived to both the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max and was retained on the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max, multiple reports claim that variable aperture technology will be exclusive to next year’s iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max.
According to Weibo’s Digital Chat Station, Samsung is also testing this feature as a direct response to the iPhone 18 launch, while also experimenting with a wide-angle folding screen that the iPhone Fold is said to ship with. There has been a rumor doing the rounds, claiming that the Galaxy S26 Ultra will sport variable aperture cameras, but there was only that one instance, so it is likely that Samsung will bring the feature in 2027 when it announces the Galaxy S27 Ultra.
Taking a stroll down memory lane, the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ could mechanically adjust the apertures of their primary cameras from F/1.5 for low-light shots to F/2.4 for brighter scenes, bringing more versatility in smartphone photography. At this time, there is no confirmation on whether Apple’s iPhone 18 lineup will introduce two or more variable aperture ranges, so we have to wait for more information to come through.
Given that the base Galaxy S26 will reportedly share the Galaxy S25’s camera configuration, it is unlikely that variable aperture technology will make a return to Samsung’s upcoming flagship series, so we have to patiently wait until 2027. For those clamoring that the Korean titan will end up blatantly copying Apple’s camera feature for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, keep in mind that Samsung was the pioneer in this area.
News Source: Digital Chat Station
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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