The widely-expected variable aperture lens camera upgrade for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max will cost Apple 50% more that the back shooter used in the iPhone 17 Pro lineup, says supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.
The new variable aperture lens upgrade has been widely rumored in recent times. Kuo first mentioned the new feature in 2024, and several rumors since then have also predicted the camera upgrade.
Kuo’s comments came in a Medium article where he discussed how upcoming products such as the M5 MacBook Pro, iPhone 17 “Slim,” and iPhone 18 will affect Apple supplier Sunny Optical. Kuo said he believes that Sunny Optical and Luxshare will be the primary and secondary shutter suppliers for the iPhone 18 Pro’s new main camera, while Sunny Optical and Largan Precision will supply the variable aperture lens. Sunny Optical is said to be set to supply Apple between 40 and 50% of orders.
A variable aperture physically adjusts the size of the lens opening to control how much light reaches the sensor, offering better exposure control and greater flexibility over depth of field. Every iPhone Pro from the iPhone 14 Pro up to the current iPhone 17 Pro uses a fixed f/1.78 aperture.
Kuo says the new component will carry a 50% price hike over the the seven-element plastic lens Apple currently uses in the iPhone 17 Pro’s main camera.
The iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are expected to debut in the fall alongside Apple’s first foldable iPhone.