San Francisco, Feb 8, 2026, 22:30 PST
- A Weibo leaker says Apple is testing a variable-aperture main camera and a wider-aperture telephoto lens for iPhone 18 Pro models
- Another leak points to a larger iPhone 18 Pro Max battery, potentially making the phone slightly thicker
- Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has previously flagged a variable-aperture wide camera as a likely 2026 iPhone Pro upgrade
A Weibo account known as “Digital Chat Station” says Apple is testing two camera changes for the iPhone 18 Pro lineup, including a variable-aperture main camera and a telephoto lens with a wider aperture, MacRumors reported. Macrumors
If Apple follows through, it would mark a rare shift toward more complex optics on the iPhone at a time when smartphone upgrades are harder to sell on design alone. Camera gains are one of the few features buyers can see instantly, and they can drive component orders months before a launch.
The rumor stream also suggests Apple is still leaning on the Pro models to carry the high end this year, with talk of a first foldable iPhone circulating alongside the usual fall release window. That puts more pressure on the Pro line to look like the safe, “best camera” choice.
A variable aperture is the adjustable opening inside a lens that controls how much light hits the camera sensor. In plain terms: it can help in low light, prevent blown-out highlights in bright scenes, and give users more control over background blur — without relying as much on software tricks.
Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo wrote in a 2024 note that “one major upgrade” for the high-end iPhone 18 would be “the wide-camera lens upgrading to a variable aperture camera.” Medium
MacRumors said Apple has not used a variable aperture on the iPhone before, and noted Samsung Electronics tried a similar approach on its Galaxy S9 and S10 before dropping it in later models, partly due to added thickness and cost. The leaker also reiterated a wider-aperture telephoto lens, which could improve low-light zoom shots and speed up shutter performance.
In a separate recap, 9to5Mac cited the same Weibo leaker as writing that “iPhones are testing a variable aperture main camera + a large aperture telephoto lens,” while warning it is unclear whether the changes would land on both Pro models or only the larger Pro Max. 9To5Mac
Battery is the other theme. Digital Chat Station has also said the iPhone 18 Pro Max could carry a 5,100–5,200 mAh battery — mAh is a measure of battery capacity — with the device potentially getting thicker to make room, according to another MacRumors report. Macrumors
That battery rumor came with a second set of expectations: an A20 Pro chip built on TSMC’s 2-nanometer process, which is a newer manufacturing step that can improve performance and reduce power use. The same report also pointed to a smaller Dynamic Island — Apple’s pill-shaped screen cutout — plus a C2 modem, the chip that handles cellular connections, and a simplified Camera Control setup.
But there is a lot that can still break. These are tests, not product commitments, and Apple often runs hardware variations it never ships; a moving-aperture system would add parts, cost and failure points, while a bigger battery risks extra weight and a thicker frame.
For its part, Forbes also reported on Sunday that iPhone 18 Pro design changes were “taking shape” in a fresh leak, underscoring how early — and how conflicting — this year’s iPhone 18 Pro rumor cycle already is. Forbes
