Apple’s next Pro camera upgrade is starting to look more expensive before it even arrives. Ming-Chi Kuo said the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are expected to use an all-new variable aperture lens that will cost Apple about 50% more than the camera unit used in current models.
The detail is drawing attention now because the iPhone 18 Pro line is still months away from launch, yet the component price is already being quantified. Kuo said the lens has an average selling price roughly 50% higher than the seven-element plastic lens Apple currently uses in the iPhone 17 Pro main camera, making the rumored change one of the clearest signs that the next flagship models could carry higher hardware costs.
Variable aperture is a mechanical system that changes the size of the lens opening, controlling how much light reaches the sensor. In practice, that can improve exposure control and give photographers more flexibility over depth of field. Kuo first flagged the feature in late 2024, and multiple reports have since backed up the rumor. He also said the feature apparently entered production earlier this year, which suggests the part is moving from speculation toward a real manufacturing plan.
Sunny Optical is expected to take on a meaningful share of that work. Kuo said the company is set to supply Apple with between 40% and 50% of the orders, adding another layer to a camera overhaul that could reshape the top end of the next iPhone lineup. Sunny Optical has already become a new compact camera module supplier for Apple, and its role now appears to be expanding as Apple prepares the next generation of Pro devices.
There is still a gap between a rumor that has been repeatedly corroborated and a feature Apple has not officially announced. Every iPhone Pro from the 14 Pro through the 17 Pro has used a fixed f/1.78 aperture, so moving to a variable design would mark a real shift in how Apple handles its main camera. The iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are expected to launch in the fall alongside the first foldable iPhone, and that is when the question will be answered: whether Apple ships the lens change that has been building since late 2024.
