Apple's rumored new variable aperture camera system for this year's iPhone 18 Pro models has reached the sampling stage, according to a new claim from a Chinese leaker.
Posting on Weibo today, the account known as "Smart Pikachu" said the feature had entered late-stage engineering samples, while a teleconverter is also "under evaluation" for the device. The iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are expected to launch in September 2026.
A variable aperture would give users manual control over how much light reaches the sensor, potentially reducing overexposure and offering new depth of field options beyond computational photography.
Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said in December 2024 that the main rear camera on both iPhone 18 Pro models will offer variable aperture, which would be a first for the iPhone. A more recent report from October 2025 said Apple was moving ahead with plans to bring the technology to next-generation iPhones and was discussing components with suppliers.
Today's teleconverter claim, meanwhile, is a new one. In typical DSLR cameras, teleconverters are optical elements that increase effective focal length, improving zoom reach at the cost of light intake. In this context, a teleconverter could improve mid-to-long range zoom quality while reducing the camera's reliance on digital cropping – and a variable aperture could help offset the light loss by opening wider when engaged.
Apple's overall iPhone 18 Pro design will already be locked in at this stage in the development cycle. What Apple tends to continue doing at this point is evaluate specific features like camera modules. Apple may well be running parallel tests without committing any one feature to mass production, so there's still leeway for things to change.
In this case, Apple is likely using the late-stage engineering samples to check the optical performance and reliability, as well as to gauge how easy the camera system is to mass produce, so it could always still drop the feature if it fails to meet Apple's quality standards. Variable aperture was in fact rumored for at least one iPhone 17 model, but it failed to materialize.
Smart Pikachu is known for providing accurate details about Android products in advance of launch, but in terms of Apple rumors, they are a relative newcomer on the Chinese supply chain rumor scene, so these claims warrant caution. The leaker recently claimed that the upcoming iPhone 17e will feature a Dynamic Island and a downclocked A19 chip.
