After months of speculation and rumors, tangible confirmation has arrived that Apple is preparing one of the biggest hardware changes to the camera system in the history of its smartphones.
Last month, Apple’s Indian partner, Tata Electronicswas the target of a ransomware attack, which resulted in the leakage of a huge amount of internal corporate files. Tech enthusiasts and researchers have been combing through this data ever since. The latest discovery brings new evidence: iPhone 18 Pro i iPhone 18 Pro Max will have a main camera with mechanically variable aperture (variable aperture).
New Sony IMX905 sensor
The diagnostic log confirms that Apple is switching to an entirely new primary sensor for the new feature. It is in question Sony IMX905. What is particularly interesting is that the pixel size of this sensor remains identical to its predecessor, 1.22 μm.
This clearly implies that the sensor itself could be almost identical to the one found in the main camera of the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max. The key difference is that this time it will get an advanced mechanism for physically adjusting the aperture.
This change will give users much better control over exposure, the amount of light entering the sensor, and the natural depth of field. This applies to all lighting conditions, of course.
The rest of the camera system remains intact
Although the introduction of variable aperture is big news, it seems that Apple has decided to keep all other resources for the next generations. According to the leaked data, the telephoto camera will remain completely unchanged.
The same scenario expects an ultra-wide-angle camera, a LiDAR sensor, as well as a front selfie camera. All these modules will be carried over from the iPhone 17 Pro series without any hardware changes. However, the software could make a difference, we learned from a recent test we did with every other brand that had the same cameras.
Significant price increase and September premiere
All these hardware modifications, unfortunately, will come at a price. The iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are expected to become significantly more expensive. The price increase could amount to i do 200 dolara.
The main culprits for this price jump are the current global shortage of memory chips, as well as the consequent increase in the cost of other advanced components. Apple plans to officially present these premium devices in September, when, in addition to the Pro model, we will see a completely new, elite model for the first time iPhone Ultra, reports GSMArena.