Apple iPhone 18 Pro could feature true DSLR-style camera control

Apple's 2026 iPhone 18 Pro may bring professional camera capabilities closer to users' pockets with the addition of variable aperture technology, a feature traditionally found in DSLR cameras.
According to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the iPhone 18 Pro will incorporate mechanical aperture blades in its main camera system, enabling users to manually adjust the amount of light entering the lens. This would mark a significant departure from the fixed aperture systems currently used in iPhones.
The technology would allow photographers to precisely control depth of field and light intake, potentially enabling natural background blur without relying on computational photography tricks like Portrait Mode. BE Semiconductor will reportedly supply the assembly equipment for the aperture blades, Kuo revealed in his latest report.
While some Android manufacturers have experimented with variable aperture systems, their implementations typically offer only two preset positions. Apple's approach could provide more granular control, similar to professional cameras.
"This could significantly improve the user's photography experience," Kuo noted, though he previously speculated the feature might arrive in the iPhone 17. He has now firmly placed the prediction with the iPhone 18 Pro series.
However, the effectiveness of variable aperture on smartphones depends heavily on sensor size. Current iPhones use relatively small sensors compared to dedicated cameras, which may limit the practical benefits of aperture control.
The feature would join Apple's existing pro-focused camera capabilities, including the 48-megapixel main sensor and 5x telephoto lens found in current Pro models.