Apple is reportedly planning a major camera update for its next generation of smartphones, but buyers might have to choose the biggest model to get it. For months, rumors suggested that the upcoming iPhone 18 Pro lineup would introduce a variable aperture camera to the smartphone family. Now, a new leak claims that this highly anticipated photography feature will be completely restricted to the much larger and heavier iPhone 18 Pro Max device.
A new variable aperture lens lets you control background blur
A well known tipster named Ice Universe shared on the Chinese social media platform Weibo that the biggest phone in the new lineup will exclusively feature a variable aperture. This is a first for the brand. Since 2022, the main cameras on the high end phones have used a fixed aperture. This means the lens stays fully open whenever you take a picture.
With a variable lens, the camera can manually shift its opening just like a dedicated DSLR camera does. This gives you much better control over the depth of field in your photos. You can choose to bring your subjects into sharper focus or create a smoother background blur depending on the lighting. A leaked document from June also mentioned that a new Sony sensor with variable aperture support is coming to the biggest model, but it left out any mention of the smaller version.
Don’t miss the best of The Mac Observer
Set us as a preferred source and our Apple reporting ranks higher in your Google Search results and Discover feed — one tap, no account changes.
The biggest phone brings the best camera and extra weight
If this rumor is true, it marks a return to how the company used to split up its premium devices. The last time the brand separated the camera features between its two top tier phones was a few years ago. Back then, only the largest model received a special tetraprism telephoto lens.
Ice Universe noted that if buyers want the absolute best camera experience, they will have to put up with a phone that feels like a brick. The upcoming phone is expected to be larger and heavier than last year. Both of these premium models will launch next month alongside the very first foldable phone from the brand, which is rumored to be called the iPhone Ultra.
While a variable aperture offers great creative control, forcing users to buy the heaviest phone just to get the best camera might push away people who prefer a pocket friendly device. We will find out for sure when the new lineup is officially revealed in September.
Discussion