iPhone 18 Pro is rumored to get a significantly better main camera. It's said to be one of the biggest upgrades in history

Apple has primarily focused on the telephoto lens, software, and colors in recent generations. However, according to fresh leaks, the next Pro model will target the camera you use most frequently – the main wide-angle. The improvement is said to be among the biggest the iPhone series has ever seen.

What’s expected to change with the main camera

The most visible sign is the back design itself. The aluminum cover in the camera module area is expected to be about two millimeters thicker than on the iPhone 17 Pro – and such a significant increase is typically not for aesthetics, but for larger internal components. According to leakers, this will likely manifest in two ways.

The first is a variable aperture. Simply put, it’s a mechanism that can change how much light enters the lens – similar to traditional cameras. In practice, this should give you greater control over depth of field and how well the camera handles very bright and, conversely, dark scenes. Apple has not yet implemented such an aperture in any iPhone.

The second possibility is a larger main sensor. The current one measures 1/1.28 inches, and a larger chip area usually means more light, less noise, and better photos after dark. Which variant will ultimately prevail – or if both will arrive – has not yet been confirmed.

Who is behind the leaks and when the iPhone 18 Pro will arrive

The information has been independently reported by multiple sources. On the Chinese social network Weibo, leakers like Setsuna Digital and Fixed Focus Digital are talking about the improvement, and Mark Gurman from Bloomberg has also strongly emphasized it, stating that this year’s Pro models are set for one of the biggest camera improvements in the series’ history. This alone gives the speculation considerable weight.

The iPhone 18 Pro and the larger Pro Max are expected to be unveiled in September 2026, which is the usual timeframe for new iPhones. Besides the camera, there’s talk of a slightly larger battery and a new A20 chip manufactured with a 2nm process, which should help with battery life.

But before you start planning an upgrade: these are still just leaks months before the premiere. A larger camera bump suggests something is happening inside, but Apple has not confirmed specific parameters, and many things can change before September. Therefore, take even seemingly certain figures with a grain of salt for now.

Is a better camera worth upgrading to a new iPhone for you, or is your current one perfectly sufficient?

Sources: 9to5Mac, GSMArena, Notebookcheck