iFixit's teardown of the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max found Apple's first variable aperture camera, using six hair-thin blades that slide with high precision to control light intake. The report also revealed a new chip packaging layout that places the A20 Pro processor beside its memory rather than stacked, separating memory from the chip's heat path, and noted that three of four test units cracked their display frames during battery removal.
techspot.com
· 2026-09-21
Apple's iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max bring a redesigned back where the glass camera cutout now matches the aluminum color, addressing criticism of last year's contrasting two-tone look. The phones also gain a variable aperture camera, faster performance, longer battery life, and added weight, and come in burgundy, glacier, silver, and black.
9to5mac.com
· 2026-09-16
Apple's iPhone 18 Pro introduces a variable aperture camera with six blades controlled by a rotor, letting users choose between four settings from f/1.48 to f/4.0 directly in the Camera app. The update is paired with other imaging features including cinematic effects for standard video, Apple Reference Image, Photographic Styles 3, and an Audio Mix tool for music. According to early hands-on testing, the new aperture control produces more natural soft-focus effects than the phone's existing Portrait mode.
engadget.com
· 2026-09-16
Apple has started taking pre-orders for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, which feature a variable aperture camera, a shrunken Dynamic Island capable of showing three Live Activities, and the new A20 Pro chip with faster GPU and memory performance. The phones start at $1,199 and $1,299 respectively, with storage up to 2TB, and ship beginning September 18.
9to5mac.com
· 2026-09-12
Apple's iPhone 18 Pro and Pixel 11 Pro both pack triple rear-camera systems with roughly 48-50MP sensors and telephoto lenses reaching high zoom levels, but their approaches differ sharply. Google leans on AI to automate exposure, night shots, and zoom via features like Instant Night Sight and Pro Zoom, while Apple adds a variable-aperture lens and manual controls for shutter speed and white balance alongside a new anti-fakery Reference Image tool.
engadget.com
· 2026-09-11
Engadget's podcast hosts Devindra Hardawar and Karissa Bell discuss Apple's newly unveiled iPhone Duo, the company's first foldable phone, and how it compares to Samsung's earlier foldable designs. They also cover the iPhone 18 Pro, which introduces a variable aperture camera but is expected to draw less attention than the Duo this year.
engadget.com
· 2026-09-09
Apple has released the iPhone 18 Pro, introducing a variable-aperture camera system as its headline hardware feature. The upgrade allows the camera to adjust its aperture opening, a capability previously reserved for dedicated cameras and rarely seen in smartphones.
hardware.slashdot.org
· 2026-09-09