The iPhone 18 Pro's Fancy Variable Aperture Camera Is Incredibly Hard To Repair:
Apple’s variable aperture might capture better photos, but is near impossible to ...
engadget.com/2263650/the-iphone-18-pro-variable-aperture-camera-ifixit-hard-to-repair/
Photo: engadget.com · view article
iFixit: iPhone 18 Pro Aperture Nearly Impossible to RepairThe teardown found six overlapping blades, each roughly as thick as a human hair.
Key FactsSep 21, 2026 · Reading time: ~45 sec.
Summary created with AI assistance · Source: engadget.com
Summary created with AI assistance · Source: engadget.com
- iFixit disassembled the Pro and Pro Max models to examine the new variable-aperture mechanism.
- The six overlapping blades require extremely precise manufacturing, according to iFixit, because there is virtually no margin for error.
- A failure could require replacing the entire module, potentially making repairs more expensive than typical iPhone cameras.
- Samsung introduced an aperture mechanism with the Galaxy S9 in 2018 but later dropped the feature.
Very few repair enthusiasts on this planet will have the tools, techniques, or knowledge to get this variable aperture mechanism apart in a way that allows it to go back together. The tolerances are tight, the glues are gummy.— iFixit says, in the context of its teardown of the iPhone 18 Pro's variable-aperture camera
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optical device for recording or transmitting photographic images or videos
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