According to recent sources, while Samsung is redesigning its rear camera layout for the S26 Ultra to support new sensors, Apple appears to be taking a bold leap forward by introducing variable aperture technology on the iPhone 18 Pro models.

This feature, once briefly used on Samsung’s Galaxy S9 and S10, was abandoned from the S20 onwards due to high production costs. Now, Apple seems ready to revive and enhance it, potentially turning it into the "secret weapon" of its 2026 flagship.

In traditional photography, the aperture controls how much light enters the sensor, affecting brightness, depth of field, and background blur. With a variable aperture, users can adjust the camera’s light intake - mimicking the manual controls of a professional DSLR.

If Apple successfully brings this to the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, it would open up a wide range of creative possibilities.

In low-light environments, a wider aperture allows more light in, producing brighter, clearer photos with less noise.

In bright conditions or during daytime, narrowing the aperture enhances depth of field, ensuring both foreground and background are in sharp focus.

Apple is also expected to introduce smart shooting modes that take full advantage of variable aperture, giving users intuitive tools to experiment with artistic effects - from natural background blur to crisp landscape shots.

Meanwhile, Samsung’s anticipated camera improvements on the S26 Ultra will reportedly involve a wider fixed aperture - an enhancement, but still not adjustable.

This gives Apple a significant advantage: users can actively control their photography instead of being bound by fixed sensor settings.

From a technical standpoint, this marks a major leap that could help the iPhone 18 Pro Max surpass its Korean rival in the one area Samsung has long dominated - camera performance.

Experts believe Apple’s move could pressure Samsung to reintroduce variable aperture in future models, possibly by 2027 with the Galaxy S28 Ultra.

By then, however, Apple may already be ahead, combining enhanced optical controls with deeper AI-driven image processing.

The addition of variable aperture to the iPhone 18 Pro signals Apple’s ambition to elevate mobile photography to a new level - after years of focusing primarily on software enhancement.

If the leaks prove accurate, the iPhone 18 won’t just be a routine upgrade, but a breakthrough in how users create images with a smartphone.

Hai Phong