New reports confirm that Apple has begun working on one of the most significant upgrades to the iPhone camera in years – a lens with a variable aperture. The technology, primarily used in professional cameras, will allow users more precise control over depth of field – meaning how much of the image is in focus and how much is blurred.
After recent years’ discussions suggesting the innovation would arrive with the iPhone 17 series, it now appears Apple is saving this card for the next generation of premium devices – iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max – and is expected to bring a real change in image quality, both for still photos and video.
According to a report by ETNews, Apple has already informed its suppliers of its plans, and work on the new module is in full swing. Industry sources reported that the plan has already been approved and that the commercialization and production process of the relevant components has begun. Companies involved in development include LG Innotech, Foxconn, Luxshare ICT, and Sunny Optical, each responsible for a different part of the new camera system.
A variable aperture lens will allow users to choose between a shallow depth of field – for example, for portrait shots with a blurred background – and a deep depth of field, where all elements in the image are in focus. Currently, Apple simulates this effect using Portrait mode and advanced software, but a physical variable lens will provide much more natural and precise control, with benefits also for video shooters who want to film at 24 frames per second in daylight.