iPhone 18 Pro Series to Feature Variable Aperture Cameras: Ming-Chi Kuo

Apple launched its iPhone 16 lineup two months ago and rumours about the iPhone 17 are already in full swing. However, rumours about the iPhone 18 series, slated to arrive in 2026, have also started to pop up. Most recently, TF Securities International analyst Ming-Chi Kuo opined that Apple will bring a powerful new iPhone camera technology with the iPhone 18 lineup that could significantly improve the image quality. The Cupertino-based company is said to offer variable aperture in the 2026 iPhone 18 lineup.

In a Medium post, Kuo shared details about Apple's iPhone 18 Pro. The analyst has reiterated his initial prediction that the iPhone 18 Pro series will sport a variable aperture camera. He states that BE Semiconductor (BESI) is the supplier of assembly equipment for aperture blades, a critical component of this upgrade.

The iPhone 18 Pro is likely to be the first Apple model to incorporate variable aperture on its main camera. With a variable aperture lens, users can adjust the amount of light that is captured. Android smartphones including Xiaomi 14 Ultra and Honor Magic 7 Pro offer this DSLR-style aperture control. Samsung introduced a variable aperture feature for the main camera back in 2018 with the Galaxy S9  series.

Further, Kuo states that Apple's M5 series chips will adopt TSMC's advanced N3P node. The mass production of M5, M5 Pro or Max, and M5 Ultra chips are expected to take place in the first half of 2025, second half of 2025 and 2026, respectively. The M5 Pro, Max, and Ultra are said to utilise SoIC packaging.

As per past leaks, Apple will integrate a new under-display Face ID technology in next year's iPhone 17 series. The iPhone 17 Pro models are said to be powered by Apple's A19 Pro chip alongside 12GB RAM, while the standard iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Air could run on an A18 or A19 chip with support for 8GB RAM. All four iPhone 17 models could feature 24-megapixel front-facing cameras. The iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are tipped to include a 5x periscope telephoto lens with 5x optical zoom next year.