Apple’s upcoming iPhone 18 Pro models could be differentiated by a new camera feature that could be exclusive to the larger Pro Max model, if a Chinese leak is to be believed.
Since 2024, we’ve been hearing rumors about Apple’s plans to introduce a variable aperture camera on the iPhone 18 Pro models – a first for any iPhone – but it was understood until now that this feature would be available on both devices.
Leaker Ice Universe claims this is not the case. The iPhone 18 Pro Max “will exclusively feature a variable aperture,” they said in a new post on Weibo, a Chinese social media platform.
“It seems like even Apple can’t escape the reality that if you want the best camera experience, you’re going to have to put up with a phone that weighs like a brick,” the leaker added.
We already know that a variable aperture lens is coming to the iPhone 18 Pro Max, thanks to internal files leaked in June from Apple supplier Tata Electronics. The files revealed that the iPhone 18 Pro Max will feature a new Sony IMX905 sensor with variable aperture support.
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The smaller iPhone 18 Pro model wasn’t mentioned in the leaked file, but it wasn’t clear if that meant it wouldn’t get a variable aperture lens, or if the leaked files simply didn’t include that information.
Apple has never implemented variable aperture on an iPhone. From iPhone 14 Pro to iPhone 17 Pro, the main camera uses a fixed ƒ/1.78 aperture, meaning the lens remains fully open at all times when capturing images.
Featuring a variable lens, the iPhone 18 Pro Max could allow users to manually change the aperture, like on a DSLR camera. This could mean more control over depth of field, allowing sharper focus on subjects or smoother background blur. Of course, it all depends on how Apple implements this feature. Maybe it’s more automated than that.
Beyond size and battery life, the last time Apple differentiated its iPhone Pro models was with the iPhone 15 Pro, which lacked the tetraprism telephoto lens included in the iPhone 15 Pro Max.
The iPhone 18 Pro Max is rumored to be larger and heavier than its predecessor this year. Besides the supposed aperture lens, it should be otherwise equivalent to its little brother. Both iPhone 18 Pro models are expected to launch next month alongside Apple’s first foldable iPhone, the “iPhone Ultra.”
