iPhone 18 Pro Variable Aperture Camera Just Entered Mass Production: Report

Amidst all the iPhone Fold rumours and updates, the internet has somewhat forgotten about Apple's yearly refresh cycle, the iPhone 18 series. While the standard iPhone 18 is expected to follow the steps of the iPhone 17, there are significant changes planned for the iPhone 18 Pro models, especially their cameras. Now, a new report has revealed that Apple has started ramping up production for a big camera upgrade.

iPhone 18 Pro Variable Aperture Lens Being Prepped for Mass Production

  According to South Korean publication ETNews, Apple has started ramping up its supply chain for the mass production of variable camera aperture system of the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. One of Apple's camera contractor, Sunny Optical, has already started the production process of the camera actuators for the variable aperture lens.

Image Credit: Apple

This comes after the iPhone 18 Pro variable aperture camera plans leaked last year, hinting that Apple is for the first-time ever, considering adding a mechanically adjustable aperture system to its imaging. Now, with the actuators being prepped, the report claims LG Innotek will join in on the production phase to manufacture the camera module at its Gumi, South Korea plant.

To recall, the iPhone 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max come with a fixed aperture of f/1.78. Now, with a variable aperture on the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, Apple will be able to increase the light intake capacity of the lens, proving crucial for better low light performance and enhanced depth-of-field.

Moreover, as per current industry chatter, the variable aperture implementation will only apply to the main camera and not the ultrawide or telephoto lenses. This could be due to the added mechanical complexity of a moving camera aperture and also due to higher production cost. Hence, by limiting the implementation Apple can ensure a successful production cycle and also manage costs efficiently.

That said, with the iPhone 18 lineup scheduled to launch in September 2026, LG Innotek has still time left to mitigate challenges within the production line. Apple could also deploy module maker Cowell, to help in the production process.