Apple could implement new imaging technologies in its upcoming iPhone models, starting with the iPhone 18 Pro series.
iPhone 17 Pro series has a 48-megapixel main camera with OIS
Photo Credit: Apple
iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are believed to go official later this year with significant camera improvements. A new leak suggests that the main camera of iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max will feature a variable aperture. Besides this, Apple is said to be working on several imaging upgrades for future iPhone models, including a 1/1.12-inch primary sensor and a 200-megapixel periscope telephoto camera, among others. This year's iPhone 18 Pro models are expected to lead Apple's Shift to an advanced rear camera system.
Tipster Digital Chat Station (translated from Chinese) in the latest Weibo post claimed that Apple is preparing to implement new imaging technologies in its upcoming iPhone models. The iPhone 18 Pro series, which is expected to go official later this year, is said to be the first to offer primary rear cameras with variable aperture. This feature is likely to improve the performance of the iPhone cameras in low-light situations.
Photo Credit: Weibo/ DCS
Apple is also said to be working on several other imaging upgrades, like a 1/1.12-inch super-large sensor main camera, optical image stabilisation (OIS) for ultra-wide-angle lenses, and a 200-megapixel periscope telephoto lens, among others, in future, unnamed iPhone models.
The tipster states that if the testing of variable aperture goes as planned, the remaining technologies will be updated with each iPhone generation, with a slightly curved aperture as a defining feature.
The latest leak by Digital Chat Station aligns with previous claims that Apple is moving ahead with plans to launch its first iPhone featuring a 200-megapixel telephoto in 2028. Recent leaks also suggested that Apple is testing multiple variable aperture lens prototypes for the iPhone 18 series.
Adoption of variable aperture in the iPhone 18 Pro series would be a significant upgrade over the fixed f/1.78 aperture offered by the main camera of the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max models. The duo's triple rear camera unit includes a 48-megapixel main camera with OIS, a 48-megapixel ultrawide camera, and a 48-megapixel telephoto lens.
Both iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are likely to feature a similar rear camera setup as their predecessors.
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