iFixit teardown reveals mechanical camera inside iPhone 18 Pro
iFixit teardown explores the new variable aperture lens in Apple's iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max, highlighting precision engineering and repair hurdles.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- iFixit teardown reveals inner workings of the new iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max camera
- Adjustable mechanical iris uses magnetic control with blades as thin as a human hair
- The intricate module is deemed virtually unrepairable if damaged
The latest device teardown from iFixit gives us a close look at the internal mechanics powering the new variable aperture lens inside Apple’s iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max, along with important repair considerations to keep in mind. The adjustable mechanical iris opens and closes magnetically to regulate light transmission to the sensor, featuring six overlapping, leaf-like blades that measure roughly the thickness of a human hair.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
You can examine that scale comparison yourself in a side-by-side photograph captured by iFixit using an Evident DSX2000 microscope. Cramming this mechanism into the exact same main camera footprint as the iPhone 17 Pro series is a remarkable achievement, with iFixit describing Apple’s variable aperture lens as a true feat of precision engineering. Nevertheless, in our own iPhone 18 Pro review, we noted that it yields only a generally marginal improvement on overall photography, meaning casual snappers might not notice any real difference.
The drawback is that the mechanism itself likely cannot be repaired if anything malfunctions. Doing so demands specialized tools, techniques, and expertise possessed by very few, making it as close to impossible to fix as it gets, according to iFixit. Consequently, users will probably need to replace the entire camera assembly, which thankfully remains relatively easy to access. While Apple has not yet released replacement components for its latest iPhone lineup, the iPhone 17 Pro camera assembly costs 249 dollars, suggesting we can expect the fancy variable aperture lens to drive up repair expenses for the 18 Pro and Pro Max iterations.
"a feat of precision engineering."
iFixit
Apple's integration of a mechanical variable aperture into a flagship smartphone underscores a continued push toward professional-grade optical control in mobile devices, allowing physical command over depth of field and exposure. However, the extreme miniaturization of such complex moving parts highlights ongoing friction within the consumer electronics industry regarding repairability, as module-level replacements often replace entire hardware assemblies at a higher cost to the end user.
Source: The Verge
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