While the iPhone Fold is of course more interesting The iPhone 18 Pro will always be important for one reason: cameras. iPhone Fold will not be able to package a flagship camera experience, so if that’s something you’re looking for, you’ll have to settle for the “boring” iPhone 18 Pro.
Although they look similar on the outside, there will be a number of interesting camera improvements to look forward to.
Variable aperture
Over the past year or so, there have been many rumors for Apple introducing a variable aperture lens in at least one of the new iPhone models, likely the Pro Max. That never came to fruition with the iPhone 17 Pro Max, but the rumor mill is back — and it’s starting to get louder.
A variable aperture gives the photographer better control over depth. Right now, all wide iPhone photos are taken at a fixed focal length of f/1.78. A variable aperture will allow you to narrow the depth of field, giving users more control over the appearance of their photos.
Ming Chi-Kuo reported for the first time on a variable opening for the iPhone 18 Pro in late 2024:
A major upgrade for the high-end 2026 iPhone 18 is the upgrade of the wide-angle lens to a variable-aperture camera, significantly improving the user’s photography experience.
now, Weibo Station Digital Chat Announcer has reaffirmed that Apple is testing as such, writing that “iPhones are testing a variable-aperture main camera + a wide-aperture telephoto lens.”
It’s unclear whether this will be available on both iPhone 18 Pro models, or just the Pro Max.
Improved telephoto
As mentioned above, Apple is also working on an improved telephoto lens with a “large aperture.”
Currently, the iPhone 17 Pro offers a telephoto lens with an aperture of f/2.8. With an even wider aperture, we can see even better telephoto performance in low light, which the iPhone often struggles with.
We’re also likely to see even shallower depth of field with non-portrait mode shooting – though streamers it does not specify how much wider the opening will be made.
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All in all, if you’re a fan of the iPhone’s camera – the iPhone 18 Pro certainly rings true more and more attractive. It won’t be a massive upgrade by any means (at least, from what we know today) – but with these camera improvements, a smaller Dynamic Island and potentially more color options, it won’t be the older launch either.
What do you think about the iPhone likely to gain a variable aperture? Are you excited about these camera improvements? Tell us in the comments.
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