Supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo stated that the cost to Apple of the new variable aperture lens system to be used in the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max models will be 50 percent higher than the current models. This technology has been at the center of rumors that have been circulating about iPhone camera systems for a long time.

Kuo stated that this feature first came to the fore in late 2024 and has been confirmed by various reports since then. It is reported that the production of the camera component in question started earlier this year.

A New Era in Camera Technology

Unlike the fixed f/1.78 aperture used from iPhone 14 Pro to iPhone 17 Pro, the new variable aperture system can physically adjust the lens aperture. This system provides flexibility in more appropriate exposure and depth of field by precisely controlling the amount of light reaching the sensor.

Analyst Kuo emphasizes that the average sales price of this new component is approximately 50 percent more valuable than the seven-element plastic lens used in the main camera of the iPhone 17 Pro. Sunny Optical is expected to supply between 40 and 50 percent of Apple’s new camera module orders.

Sunny Optical had previously started its collaboration with Apple by producing camera modules for MacBook Neo. With MacBook Neo shipments exceeding expectations, Kuo increased his 2026 bets from 5 million to 10 million units.

Future Plans and Supply Chain

In future plans, the ultra-wide-angle camera module in the 2028 iPhone models is expected to switch from the current flip-chip packaging to a more advanced COB (chip-on-board) design. It is envisaged that Sunny Optical will also be a supplier in this new design process.

COB technology allows the module to be thinner or smaller, allowing more space for other components within the device. In addition, this design has the potential to offer higher view quality in the physical dimension.

Kuo states that Sunny Optical also works with companies other than Apple and has received orders for components for a smartphone and portable device developed by OpenAI. The iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max models are expected to be released in the fall, along with Apple’s first foldable phone.

Do you think variable aperture technology will make a big difference in smartphone photography?