iPhone 18 Telephoto Lens Rumors: Variable Aperture and Teleconverter Claims Surface

Daily Technology

·

29/01/2026

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A recent claim from a leaker, more commonly associated with Android devices, suggests potential advancements in the telephoto lens capabilities of the upcoming iPhone 18 lineup. While the report is vague and the source's usual focus makes the information somewhat unlikely, it hints at possible innovations that could enhance zoom photography.

Key Takeaways

A leaker, typically focused on Android, has made claims about the iPhone 18's telephoto lens.
The claims involve the potential for variable aperture lenses and the evaluation of teleconverters.
Variable aperture could offer greater control over depth of field.
The concept of a built-in teleconverter for an iPhone is unusual and may be a misinterpretation.

Variable Aperture Lenses

The leaker's report mentions the prototyping of variable aperture lenses for the iPhone 18 series. This aligns with some existing expectations, potentially for the iPhone 18 Pro Max or both Pro models. A variable aperture allows for more precise control over the depth of field (DoF) in photographs. This means users could achieve a shallower DoF to isolate subjects, a medium DoF for recognizable backgrounds, or a deep DoF for overall sharpness, offering more creative flexibility than current software-based portrait modes or the limited optical effects of existing telephoto lenses.

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However, it's important to temper expectations, as the practical impact of such a feature on iPhones might be subtle.

Teleconverter Evaluation

Another aspect of the claim involves the evaluation of teleconverters. Typically, a teleconverter is an external lens attachment used with interchangeable lens cameras to increase the telephoto reach. Applying this term to a built-in iPhone feature is unconventional. It's possible this refers to a different internal hardware modification aimed at boosting zoom capabilities, or it could be a misunderstanding or mistranslation of Apple's actual plans. Given the lack of prior information on this specific feature, it's more probable that this part of the report is inaccurate.

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