Official
4 publications · September 12, 2026
iPhone 18 Pro teardown reveals how its variable aperture camera works
Key points
- The iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max are the first Apple devices to feature a variable aperture camera.
- The variable aperture is built into the 48MP main camera.
- The system uses its own dedicated magnets to drive the aperture mechanism.
- Six small leaf-shaped blades form the aperture iris.
- An iFixit teardown video, published September 21, shows the components up close.
Summary
(AI)
Apple announced the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max with variable aperture as a headline camera feature. It lets the 48MP main camera control how much light comes in, which gives users new creative options.
The mechanical detail came later, when iFixit published a full teardown on September 21. It showed that the aperture is moved by dedicated magnets and uses six leaf-shaped blades, which iFixit called extremely small. It is the first independent look inside the system.
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