September puts not only a spring in our step, but maybe a new iPhone in our pocket.

Apple launches the new version of its smartphone annually, and it looks like the iPhone 18 Pro is expected to be available on around September 18, 2026.

We’re expecting a formal announcement around September 10.

And the rumour is that the iPhone 18 Pro could just be the first iPhone with a mechanical variable aperture camera.

Since the iPhone 14 Pro (right through to the current the iPhone 17 Pro), the main camera has used a fixed ƒ/1.78 aperture. This means the lens remains fully open at all times when capturing pictures.

But with a variable aperture lens, the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max could allow users to manually shift the aperture, as cameras (yes, from film to DSLR and mirrorless).

With mechanical variable aperture, the main lens would physically open or close to control light intake, similar to a traditional DSLR camera.

That gives a physical (rather than computational) control over depth of field, and should enable sharper focus on subjects or smoother background blur.