Apple iPhone 18 Pro/Pro Max Metal Dummy Reveals Thicker Camera Module, First to Feature Variable Aperture
Overseas leaker @VadimYuryev recently shared real photos of metal dummies for the iPhone 18 Pro/Pro Max, showcasing some detailed information. The dummy reveals that the iPhone 18 Pro Max continues the classic square triple-camera layout of the Pro series, but the camera module is approximately 0.8mm thicker than the previous iPhone 17 Pro Max, making it more prominent – the thickest main camera module in Apple's history.
It is reported that the core reason for the increased module thickness is to accommodate a new physical variable aperture main camera, meeting higher-specification optical imaging needs.
The leak claims that the iPhone 18 Pro Max will exclusively feature three flagship configurations and will be the first to adopt a 48 million pixel f/1.4–f/4.0 ten-stop physical variable aperture main camera. In low-light environments, the aperture can be opened to f/1.4, increasing light intake by 40% compared to the previous generation. In strong light environments, it can be closed to f/4.0, effectively avoiding overexposure, while also achieving controllable depth of field.
The telephoto lens is upgraded from 5x optical zoom to 6x periscope zoom, supporting OIS optical image stabilization + shift stabilization, significantly improving distant scene resolution. The 48 million pixel ultra-wide-angle lens supports 1cm macro shooting, and edge distortion control is optimized by 50% compared to the previous generation.
In terms of performance, the new device will be equipped with a TSMC 2nm process A20 Pro chip, offering a 30% performance increase and a 25% power consumption reduction compared to the A19 Pro. It will also be equipped with Apple's self-developed C2 baseband, completely abandoning Qualcomm's baseband, and signal stability and battery life will be significantly optimized.
The iPhone 18 Pro Max is expected to be officially released in September 2026, with a starting price of 9999 yuan for the 256GB model.