iPhone 18 Pro Camera Upgrade To Cost Apple 50% More: Here's Why

Apple's forthcoming variable aperture lens marks the most significant camera hardware change in years and it reportedly comes at a steep price. The iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max will feature an all-new variable aperture lens that costs Apple roughly 50 percent more than the camera unit used in current models, according to supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. The component carries an average selling price significantly higher than the seven-element plastic lens found in the iPhone 17 Pro's main camera.

What variable aperture means for users

Unlike the fixed f/1.78 aperture that has shipped on every iPhone Pro since the 14 Pro, the new variable aperture will physically adjust the size of the lens opening. This gives users better exposure control in a wider range of lighting conditions and greater flexibility over depth of field.

Kuo first flagged the feature in late 2024, and it has since been corroborated by multiple reports, with production understood to have begun earlier this year.

Apple ties up with a new supplier

Sunny Optical has emerged as a new compact camera module supplier for Apple, initially producing cameras for the MacBook Neo. The entry-level Mac has significantly outperformed expectations, prompting Kuo to double his 2026 shipment forecast from 5 million to 10 million units. Sunny Optical is expected to supply Apple between 40 percent and 50 percent of iPhone 18 Pro camera orders.

Looking further ahead, the 2028 iPhone's ultra-wide camera module is expected to shift to a chip-on-board design, where Sunny Optical is well-positioned to play a key role.

Kuo also notes that Sunny Optical has secured orders for two OpenAI devices - a smartphone and a pocket or mobile device - signalling the supplier's growing influence across the consumer hardware landscape.

The iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max are expected to launch this fall alongside Apple's first foldable iPhone. The iPhone 18 is expected to be shelved this year due to rising component costs.