However, the iPhone 18 Pro Max could also receive a major camera upgrade. According to leaker Ice Universe, the larger Pro model may feature an exclusive variable aperture system.
The feature has been rumored several times, with previous reports suggesting that Apple might introduce it in a future generation. However, the latest information indicates that it could arrive with the iPhone 18 Pro Max.
Apple has previously introduced new camera hardware on its larger Pro Max models before bringing similar technology to the smaller Pro version in subsequent generations.
The company has never used a variable aperture system on an iPhone. Its current camera system has used a relatively wide fixed aperture since the iPhone 14 Pro, with an f/1.78 aperture.
Other smartphone manufacturers have already experimented with variable aperture cameras. Huawei has used the technology in some of its recent devices, while Samsung previously introduced variable aperture technology on the Galaxy S9 and S10 series. The feature is also reportedly being considered for the upcoming Galaxy S27.
A variable aperture is a physical opening inside a camera lens that controls how much light reaches the image sensor. While DSLR and mirrorless cameras have offered adjustable apertures for decades, most smartphones have traditionally relied on fixed apertures because of their limited internal space.
A variable aperture could allow the iPhone 18 Pro Max to adjust the amount of light entering the camera depending on the shooting conditions.
A wider aperture would be useful in low-light environments and for portrait photography, while a narrower aperture could be beneficial in bright conditions and landscape photography.
Unlike software-based adjustments, the physical aperture would change mechanically according to the shooting scenario. Huawei’s Pura series, for example, allows users to see the aperture physically change when adjusting the setting.
If Apple introduces the technology, the variable aperture could represent one of the biggest camera upgrades to the iPhone in years, potentially improving photography across low-light, portrait, landscape and other shooting conditions.
