Apple’s iPhone 18 Pro camera upgrade is now reportedly “confirmed,” according to a prolific Weibo leaker, with the main camera module growing physically larger and the camera bump thickening by about 2mm. Dummy models shared by a YouTuber put the iPhone 18 Pro Max’s total device thickness at 13.77mm, up from 12.92mm on the iPhone 17 Pro Max.
The trade is the visible price of a long-rumored first for iPhones: a variable-aperture main lens that Apple has never shipped on its flagship line. The rest of the iPhone family pays a different price, with the standard iPhone 18, the iPhone 18e, and a possible iPhone Air 2 reportedly pushed to spring 2027.
What the Weibo Leaker Calls Confirmed
Digital Chat Station, a Weibo-based tipster with more than three million followers, said on June 22, 2026 that the iPhone 18 Pro’s main camera upgrade is “confirmed,” according to a recap of his Weibo post. The post says the main camera module will be physically larger on the iPhone 18 Pro than on its predecessor, and that the camera bump’s thickness will increase by approximately 2mm. The claim is unverified by Apple, which has not announced the iPhone 18 Pro.
MacRumors has called the leaker’s track record credible, noting that he “has a track record of accurately leaking Apple-related information” and “accurately revealed the overall design of the iPhone Air and iPhone 17 Pro.” Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo separately reported in December 2024 that both iPhone 18 Pro models will offer variable aperture on the main rear camera.
The iPhone 18 Pro series features a 48MP ultra-large sensor with a variable aperture.
Corroboration has arrived from a second Weibo-based leaker, Fixed Focus Digital, who said the iPhone 18 Pro duo’s camera upgrades will expand the thickness of the aluminum alloy camera plateau by “over 2mm,” per wccftech. Hands-on dummy models shared by YouTuber Vadim Yuryev in April back the bump: the iPhone 18 Pro Max measures 13.77mm thick including its cameras, against 12.92mm on the iPhone 17 Pro Max, per a dummy model thickness comparison.
The 2mm Plateau and 0.85mm of Total Thickness
The phone body itself is the same thickness as last year’s. Ice Universe, a separate Weibo tipster, said on June 5, 2026 that the iPhone 18 Pro Max (and presumably the smaller iPhone 18 Pro) will measure 8.75mm thick, “the same exact thickness as the 17 Pro models.” The increase is concentrated entirely in the camera plateau, the raised aluminum section on the back. The rest of the iPhone is identical in thickness to last year, 9to5Mac’s reading of the dummy models shows. Apple’s choice is to enlarge the plateau rather than thicken the chassis, leaving the phone in the same jeans pocket as the iPhone 17 Pro.
The total device thickness rises from 12.92mm to 13.77mm for the iPhone 18 Pro Max, a 0.85mm jump. The plateau’s own increase is closer to 2mm, per Digital Chat Station’s Weibo post. The body thickness is holding flat even as the camera module grows.
Why a Variable Aperture Matters
A variable aperture lets a camera physically open and close its lens to control how much light reaches the sensor. In low light, the aperture opens to admit more light. In bright scenes, it closes to avoid overexposure, and photographers gain more direct control over depth of field.
Apple has shipped fixed-aperture main cameras on its Pro iPhones for years. MacRumors reports that “from the iPhone 14 Pro through the iPhone 17 Pro, the main camera uses a fixed f/1.78 aperture, meaning the lens remains fully open at all times when capturing images.” That gives a fixed depth of field and a fixed light intake. A variable aperture, by contrast, lets users and the camera’s software choose between stops.
Ming-Chi Kuo reported in December 2024 that the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max will offer variable aperture on the main rear camera. More recently, in October, supply chain reports claimed Apple is moving ahead with those plans and was discussing components with suppliers, MacRumors adds. Digital Chat Station has now added the sensor half of the equation, telling Weibo followers that the iPhone 18 Pro series pairs the variable aperture with a 48MP “ultra-large” main sensor. Apple has not announced the iPhone 18 Pro, so all of this remains a supply chain forecast. Mark Gurman, writing for Bloomberg, has separately described the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max as offering “some of the biggest camera hardware upgrades in the lineup’s history,” wccftech notes.
The “ultra-large” label, per MacRumors, refers to a 1/1.12-inch optical format sensor. That is a step up from the 1/1.28-inch main sensor on the iPhone 17 Pro.
The Four-Part Camera Roadmap
MacRumors has laid out the broader plan, sourcing it to the same Weibo-based account. Apple is reportedly evaluating four camera upgrades for future iPhone models, with the variable aperture the first to land on the iPhone 18 Pro this September. The other three are queued for future devices on an unclear timeline. Digital Chat Station has mentioned multiple times that Apple is studying a 200-megapixel periscope telephoto lens, but the leaker recently said it is unlikely to feature in an iPhone before 2028.
According to MacRumors, the four parts are:
- Variable aperture main camera (rumored for iPhone 18 Pro)
- 1/1.12-inch “ultra-large” main camera sensor (rumored for iPhone 18 Pro)
- Enhanced optical image stabilization for the ultra-wide lens (future iPhone)
- 200-megapixel periscope telephoto lens (unlikely to feature in an iPhone before 2028)
Mark Gurman, writing for Bloomberg, has separately described the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max as offering “some of the biggest camera hardware upgrades in the lineup’s history,” wccftech notes. The full spec sheet for the iPhone 18 Pro is still missing. The variable aperture and the larger sensor are the two pieces now confirmed by the supply chain.
A Two-Wave Fall Lineup
Apple’s 2026 iPhone release schedule is breaking with a decade of tradition. MacRumors reports that the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max will launch in September 2026 alongside Apple’s first foldable iPhone, which the publication expects to be priced at around $2,000. The standard iPhone 18, the iPhone 18e, and a possible iPhone Air 2 are reportedly held for spring 2027. The fall window is for Apple’s most expensive iPhones, and the spring window is the lower-cost catch-up. It is the first time Apple has split its flagship iPhone launch across two seasons.
Forbes’ David Phelan expects the September 2026 keynote to land on or around Sept. 9, with the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max going on sale that Friday. The foldable iPhone could ship in the same window or follow “a few weeks later,” depending on production, per a Sept. 18 launch forecast. The iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max are expected to use Apple’s new A20 Pro chip, built on a 2-nanometer process, with a C2 modem that adds 5G mmWave support, MacRumors says. They are also expected to ship with a smaller Dynamic Island, according to Ice Universe.
GSMArena’s reporting aligns with the same split. The iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max will share the September stage with what GSMArena calls the iPhone Ultra, the publication’s name for the foldable, while the iPhone 18, 18e, and possibly the iPhone Air 2 are pushed to spring. The foldable is widely expected to use the same A20 chip as the standard iPhone 18, MacRumors adds.
| Specification | iPhone 17 Pro Max | iPhone 18 Pro Max (rumored) |
|---|---|---|
| Main sensor size | 1/1.28-inch | 1/1.12-inch (Digital Chat Station) |
| Aperture | Fixed f/1.78 | Variable (Kuo, Digital Chat Station) |
| Total device thickness | 12.92mm | 13.77mm (dummy model hands-on) |
| Body thickness (excluding camera) | 8.75mm | 8.75mm (Ice Universe) |
| Camera bump increase | 0mm | ~2mm (Digital Chat Station) |
| Launch window | September 2025 | September 2026 (rumored) |
What Spring 2027 Buyers Will Find Waiting
MacRumors reports that the iPhone Air, which Apple shipped in September 2025 alongside the iPhone 17 lineup, “didn’t sell as well as expected.” A second version is no longer slated for September 2026. A second-generation iPhone Air is still in development, with Apple exploring adding a second rear camera “to make it more appealing to consumers and to justify its $999 starting price.” The model is most likely to ship alongside the iPhone 18 and iPhone 18e in spring 2027.
The split schedule is itself the story. Wccftech, citing the same leakers, reports that Apple’s “continued focus on its first foldable phone … has left the 18 Pro series without many novel features.” The variable aperture is the headline change this fall; everything else lands on the foldable.
Frequently Asked Questions
Has the iPhone 18 Pro camera upgrade been confirmed?
Weibo leaker Digital Chat Station said on June 22, 2026 that the upgrade is “confirmed,” but Apple has not announced the iPhone 18 Pro. MacRumors notes the leaker accurately revealed the iPhone Air and iPhone 17 Pro designs before this claim.
When will the iPhone 18 Pro launch?
Forbes expects a Sept. 9, 2026 keynote and a Sept. 18, 2026 release, matching the cadence Apple used for the iPhone 17 lineup. The first foldable iPhone is expected to launch in the same window.
How much thicker is the iPhone 18 Pro compared to the iPhone 17 Pro?
The iPhone 18 Pro Max measures 13.77mm thick including cameras, against 12.92mm on the iPhone 17 Pro Max. The phone body is the same 8.75mm; the camera plateau alone grows by about 2mm.
What is a variable aperture and why is it new for iPhones?
A variable aperture physically opens and closes the lens to control how much light hits the sensor. From the iPhone 14 Pro through the iPhone 17 Pro, the main camera has used a fixed f/1.78 aperture that stays fully open.
Which iPhones will arrive in spring 2027?
MacRumors expects the standard iPhone 18, the iPhone 18e, and a possible iPhone Air 2 to follow in spring 2027. Apple is reportedly exploring adding a second rear camera to the iPhone Air 2.
