A recent teardown by iFixit has exposed the inner mechanics of Apple’s iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max, focusing on the device’s innovative variable aperture camera system. The analysis details how the adjustable mechanical iris operates magnetically to regulate light entering the sensor.
The mechanism is composed of six overlapping, leaf-like blades, each possessing a thickness comparable to a single human hair. To illustrate this minuscule scale, iFixit utilized an Evident DSX2000 microscope to produce a side-by-side comparison image.
Engineering such a compact system into the same main camera footprint as the iPhone 17 Pro series is considered a significant achievement. However, the teardown also raised several repair concerns regarding the complexity of maintaining or replacing these delicate components.
Wait, so we’re getting variable aperture on phones now? I thought this was reserved for DSLRs. Makes me wonder what the next big camera upgrade will be.
Fascinating to see magnetic iris technology shrinking down to this scale. The optical control benefits must be significant for low-light photography.
Hair-thin blades? Apple engineers are playing with fire here. Can’t imagine replacing a broken one without damaging everything around it.