iPhone 18 Pro Max to Gain Variable Aperture, New Launch Roadmap Leaked [Report]

The iPhone 18 Pro Max is reportedly getting a major camera upgrade with the addition of a variable aperture lens, according to Digital Chat Station. In a post on Weibo, the leaker also predicts a revised launch schedule that splits the iPhone 18 lineup across two release windows.

The new 48MP periscope telephoto lens will purportedly feature a larger aperture, improving low-light performance and delivering a more natural depth of field. This detail about a variable aperture aligns with an earlier report from ETNews that also claimed the feature was coming to the iPhone 18 Pro's main camera.

The post further claims Apple is planning a packed fall 2026 launch featuring the iPhone 18 Pro lineup, a new iPhone Air, and the company's first foldable iPhone. The standard iPhone 18 and a new iPhone 18e are said to follow in the first half of 2027. This split-launch approach has been rumored before, with a previous forecast also pointing to an iPhone 18e arriving in spring 2027.


Other reports suggest the iPhone 18 Pro will debut Apple's second-generation in-house C2 modem and a 2nm A20 chip available in two versions: a standard "Borneo" and a more powerful "Borneo Ultra" designed for the Pro and foldable models.

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