Apple iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are expected to resurrect the main feature of Samsung Galaxy flagship smartphones that were discontinued years ago, according to many rumors.
The iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are expected to have a significantly improved main camera with variable aperture. Aperture is an opening in the camera lens that controls the amount of light reaching the image sensor.
In December 2024, Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo was the first to say that the main rear camera on both iPhone 18 Pro models will offer variable aperture. A more recent report from October 2025 stated that Apple is moving ahead with plans to bring the technology to next-generation iPhones and is discussing components with suppliers.
A variable aperture allows the camera to adjust the amount of light that hits the sensor using small blades. This means that in dark environments the aperture can be opened to let in more light, while in bright environments it can be closed to prevent overexposure. It should also give users more control over depth of field, which refers to how sharp an object appears in the foreground compared to the background.
Apple has never used variable aperture on an iPhone camera before. The main cameras on all iPhone 14 Pro to iPhone 17 Pro models have a fixed ƒ/1.78 aperture, and the lens is always fully open and takes photos with this aperture.
Samsung previously brought a variable aperture camera to its Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S10 models in 2018 and 2019. The feature has appeared on other Android smartphones in recent years, such as the Xiaomi 14 Ultra, Honor Magic 7 Pro, and Huawei Mate series. Because of the way the components added thickness to the device and increased its cost, Samsung dropped the feature in 2020, even though it was more advanced than the fixed-aperture cameras it moved to.
Interestingly, Samsung is reportedly planning to follow Apple in adding variable aperture to its smartphone cameras. Samsung apparently sees the addition of variable aperture as “necessary to make the camera more competitive” and replace software correction with physical hardware. The company hopes that by investing in variable aperture camera technology, it will be able to reduce thickness and reduce costs over time.
Samsung has reportedly asked several camera module partners to develop variable apertures and provide samples in light of Apple’s plans. The feature is in early development and final installation on future Galaxy devices has yet to be confirmed, but there is said to be a “strong will” to introduce it.
In addition to the variable aperture, the iPhone 18 Pro models are said to have a smaller Dynamic Island, an A20 chip, longer battery life, a C2 modem, a simplified camera control button, an N1 wireless chip, and more. They are expected to launch in the fall alongside the first foldable iPhone.