Oliver Haslam on April 22, 2026, 7:06 pm

Big iPhone Camera Upgrades Are Coming, Starting With iPhone 18 Pro

Apple is expected to release the iPhone 18 Pro later this year, and a new report claims that it will usher in the beginning of some big camera upgrades for the iPhone lineup.

Citing Weibo leaker Digital Chat Station, MacRumors reports that Apple plans to bring four key upgrades to the iPhone’s camera system over the course of multiple releases.

The upgrades include:

A variable aperture lens
A 1/1.12-inch “ultra-large” main camera sensor
Enhanced optical image stabilization for the iPhone’s ultra-wide lens
A new 200-megapixel periscope telephoto lens

The first of those, a variable aperture lens, is expected to be part of the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max story when they are announced this fall. We’ve been hearing rumors of this addition for over a year at this point, and it now seems more likely than ever before.

Apple’s current iPhone 17 Pro has a fixed ƒ/1.78 aperture main camera, but the move to a variable aperture could allow for improved low-light performance as well as less blooming in brighter scenes.

Beyond this change, the leaker says the other three upgrades are being tested, but it’s unclear when they will be added to the iPhone.

By adding a new, larger sensor, Apple could allow for improved low-light performance and a reduction in image noise, among other improvements. Enhanced image stabilization would be a notable upgrade to the iPhone’s ultra-wide lens, while a 200-megapixel periscope camera would be a huge addition.

That alone could give iPhone photographers more flexibility and increase the camera’s zoom capabilities considerably.