iPhone 18 Pro Tipped to Add Variable Aperture Camera Later This Year

Apple’s next Pro phones tipped for camera shift

Apple’s iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are believed to go official later this year with a notable camera update, according to a new leak. The claim centers on a variable aperture main camera for the Pro models, while separate reports point to a wider imaging roadmap that could include a 1/1.12-inch primary sensor and a 200-megapixel periscope telephoto camera in future iPhone models.

Tipster Digital Chat Station, in a Weibo post translated from Chinese, said Apple is preparing to bring new imaging technologies to upcoming iPhone devices. The post says the iPhone 18 Pro series would be the first to use a primary rear camera with variable aperture. That feature is expected to help camera performance in low-light situations, based on the details in the leak.

The same source also said Apple is working on other camera upgrades for future unnamed iPhone models. These include a 1/1.12-inch super-large sensor main camera, optical image stabilisation for ultra-wide-angle lenses, and a 200-megapixel periscope telephoto lens. The report does not name the models tied to those parts, but it says they are part of Apple’s broader imaging plans.

According to the leak, if testing of variable aperture moves forward as expected, the remaining technologies may arrive across later iPhone generations. The tipster said a slightly curved aperture could become a defining feature as Apple updates the system over time.

The latest claim lines up with earlier reports that Apple is preparing to launch its first iPhone with a 200-megapixel telephoto camera in 2028. Separate leaks have also said Apple is testing multiple variable aperture lens prototypes for the iPhone 18 series.

If the report proves accurate, the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max would be the first models to move beyond the fixed f/1.78 aperture used by the main camera on the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max. Those models currently carry a triple rear camera setup made up of a 48-megapixel main camera with OIS, a 48-megapixel ultrawide camera, and a 48-megapixel telephoto lens.

What the leak says about iPhone 18 Pro cameras

• Variable aperture main camera tipped for iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max
• Low-light camera performance may improve, according to the claim
• Apple reportedly testing a 1/1.12-inch main sensor for future iPhones
• OIS for ultra-wide-angle lenses also mentioned in the leak
• 200-megapixel periscope telephoto camera said to be in Apple’s pipeline
• Earlier reports linked Apple to a 200-megapixel telephoto iPhone in 2028
• Previous leaks said multiple variable aperture prototypes are under test

For now, the report remains a leak and not an official announcement. Still, it points to a clear pattern in Apple’s camera work, with the iPhone 18 Pro series described as the starting point for a broader shift toward more advanced rear imaging hardware. The same claim also suggests Apple may keep the rear camera layout similar to current Pro models, even as the main sensor technology changes.

Apple camera roadmap points beyond one launch

The imaging changes mentioned in the report are not limited to the iPhone 18 Pro line. The source says Apple is building several camera technologies for future iPhone models, with updates likely to land generation by generation. That includes the main sensor upgrade, the telephoto move toward 200 megapixels, and the possibility of OIS support for ultra-wide cameras.

The report does not provide a launch date for those later technologies, other than the mention of a 2028 target tied to the 200-megapixel telephoto. It also does not say which future iPhone models will get each feature. What it does say is that the iPhone 18 Pro series is expected to lead the shift, and that Apple’s camera work is moving toward a more advanced rear system.

Apple has not confirmed any of these details.

For now, the iPhone 18 Pro camera story is being driven by leaks from Digital Chat Station and earlier reports that point in the same direction. The next step, if any, will likely come closer to launch later this year, when more details on the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max may surface.