iPhone 18 Pro will have a variable aperture camera
The iPhone 18 Pro, which is expected to go on sale in September 2026, is rumored to be the first Apple model to feature variable aperture on its primary camera, according to a new report from Ming-Chi Kuo, a renowned source of supply chain-related information on Apple products.
Although another source said that the feature will actually appear next year, Kuo had previously mentioned that it would debut on the iPhone 18 Pro. Citing data from BE Semiconductor, which will provide Apple with the aperture blade assembly machinery, Kuo is now reiterating his original projection.
Several Android flagship phones have had variable aperture cameras in recent years, and it appears that Apple has noticed this trend and intends to include it in its Pro models. Although the company is sometimes a late adopter, it will undoubtedly market the technology far more effectively than any manufacturer of Android devices if we look at previous innovations and how, even when a feature isn’t the first to hit the market, Apple usually manages to get people excited about every new feature it (finally) adds to its devices.
The sophisticated N3P node from TSMC, which went into prototype a few months ago, will be used in the M5 series processors. Mass production of M5, M5 Pro/Max, and M5 Ultra is anticipated in 2026, 2H25, and 1H25, respectively.
Server-grade SoIC packaging will be used in the M5 Pro, Max, and Ultra. With distinct CPU and GPU architectures, Apple will employ 2.5D packaging known as SoIC-mH (molded horizontal) to increase production yields and thermal performance.
Apple’s use of SoIC packaging for its high-end M5 processors will help BESI’s hybrid bonding equipment, and the build-out of Apple’s PCC infrastructure will accelerate following the mass production of the high-end M5 chips, which are better suited for AI inferencing.
