Apple reportedly plans to make major upgrades to the iPhone’s cameras in the coming years, starting with the introduction of a variable aperture lens on the iPhone 18 Pro this fall.
But that’s just the start. The company eventually plans to utilize a bigger 200MP sensor on its primary camera, with a periscope telephoto lens for better image quality.
Variable aperture lens coming to the iPhone 18 Pro
For all the upgrades the iPhone camera has received in recent years, Apple has not made any significant improvements to the primary camera. But multiple leaks suggest this will change going forward.
Chinese leaker Digital Chat Station wrote Wednesday on Weibo that Apple will start a multiyear camera upgrade cycle with the iPhone 18 Pro. That device will reportedly use a variable-aperture lens capable of adjusting the amount of light entering the camera.
Typically, professional cameras use variable-aperture lenses. Given their large sensor size, the ability to adjust the amount of light entering the sensor is crucial.
Without a bigger primary sensor, it is unclear how much improvement Apple will achieve with this change. The iPhone 17 Pro currently uses a f/1.78 aperture lens for its primary camera. Still, Apple suppliers have already begun mass production of the variable-aperture camera system for 2026’s flagship iPhone.
Major iPhone camera upgrades planned for the future
If everything goes according to plan and Apple avoids technical snags, the company will make further camera-centric upgrades in subsequent years.
This includes switching to a larger 1/1.12-inch primary sensor, optical image stabilization for the iPhone’s ultra-wide camera, and a 200MP telephoto shooter, according to Digital Chat Station.
While not mentioned explicitly, the 1/1.12-inch sensor referenced by the leaker likely points to Sony’s LYTIA 901. Oppo and Vivo already use this sensor in their 2026 Ultra flagship phones.
Chinese manufacturers like Xiaomi and Vivo already use a 200MP telephoto camera on their flagships. They deliver incredible image quality that’s far superior to the iPhone 17 Pro’s upgraded 48MP telephoto camera. Apple likely will add a 200MP telephoto lens to iPhones in 2027.
Rajesh has been writing about consumer technology for over a decade, with a strong focus on iPhones, Macs and Apple’s ecosystem. He enjoys digging into Apple software updates, hardware changes, and discovering new Mac apps that make work faster and more enjoyable.
