There have been ongoing discussions regarding an upcoming iPhone model that may feature a variable aperture lens in the next year or two; however, opinions vary on whether this enhancement will debut with the iPhone 17 or the iPhone 18.
Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has previously asserted that this significant camera enhancement will arrive with the iPhone 18, while The Information has suggested it will appear in the iPhone 17. Kuo has now reaffirmed his earlier stance…
Variable Aperture Lenses
A detailed exploration with instances can be found in our past article, but to summarize, the primary advantage lies in the ability to adjust the depth of field (DoF) in photography.
You can achieve a shallow DoF to separate the subject from its background, a medium DoF that maintains some background context while still providing isolation, or a deep DoF when clarity is required throughout the shot.
While portrait mode mimics this effect artificially and has seen significant improvements, a variable aperture lens achieves it optically, yielding even superior outcomes—though with one caveat that I will address shortly.
Some capacity to manipulate DoF has been seen with the 5x telephoto lens in the iPhone 15 Pro Max and in both iPhone 16 Pro models due to the inherent characteristics of longer focal lengths.
Additionally, positioning the camera very close to the subject can create optically shallow DoF, as illustrated in the accompanying image.
However, a variable aperture lens would grant enhanced control across various scenarios.
iPhone 17 or iPhone 18
A report from The Information over the summer indicated that this new feature could be set to launch next year.
The Information reported that “at least one” of the iPhone 17 models will embody a significant camera upgrade for managing aperture size “with a mechanical system.”
Conversely, Kuo mentioned last month that it would instead debut with the iPhone 18.
A major advancement slated for the 2026 high-end iPhone 18 is the upgrade of the wide-camera lens to a variable aperture camera, significantly improving the user photography experience. My recent industry insights indicate that Sunny Optical will serve as the primary shutter supplier (with Luxshare as the secondary) and as the second supplier of variable aperture lenses (following Largan Precision).
A recent statement from Kuo today reinforces this timeline.
The iPhone 18 Pro’s wide camera will transition to variable aperture in 2026. BESI is the assembler of equipment for aperture blades, a crucial component of this upgrade.
DMN’s Perspective
I mentioned a caveat earlier regarding sensor size.
The necessity for Apple to develop an artificial Portrait mode arises from the fact that smartphone cameras tend to capture everything in focus—resulting in a very deep DoF. This is a direct consequence of the small sensors employed. Even with large aperture lenses, a smaller sensor limits DoF control.
Thus, any mechanical aperture adjustment would need to be paired with a larger sensor to provide substantial advantages. Apple did increase the sensor size in the iPhone 16, and there are hints that it might do so again in the iPhone 18, although these reports remain somewhat vague.
Regardless, this underscores Apple’s commitment to enhancing its camera capabilities.
Photo: DMN
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