Samsung Missed Its Chance to Revive Variable Aperture — Apple Pounces

Apple is reportedly gearing up to equip the iPhone 18 series with a variable aperture camera. While Samsung actually did it first years ago, the company dropped the feature after a while. Now, as Apple gets ready to reintroduce the concept next year, it seems Samsung may have missed the opportunity to lead the next wave of camera innovation with its upcoming Galaxy S26 series.

Apple plans to introduce a variable aperture camera with the iPhone 18

Variable aperture lenses aren’t new to Samsung enthusiasts. The Galaxy S9 and S10 featured the technology, allowing the camera to mechanically adjust the aperture between f/1.5 and f/2.4 depending on lighting conditions. It was a genuine hardware innovation, offering DSLR-like depth of field and light control on a smartphone camera.

However, as Samsung’s focus shifted toward high-resolution sensors and computational photography, the company quietly phased out the variable aperture system from the Galaxy S20 onward. Factors like added camera thickness, higher production costs, and the rapid improvement of software-based HDR exposure contributed to its discontinuation.

Now, with Apple reportedly finalizing plans to introduce a similar mechanism in its iPhone 18 series, the spotlight is back on variable aperture, and all eyes are on Samsung’s next move. The Galaxy S26 series, expected in early 2026, may deliver notable sensor upgrades and AI-driven photography improvements. However, there’s been no credible sign of a hardware-based variable aperture system making a return.

If Apple brings it to market next year, it could shift public perception, positioning the company as the innovator in an area Samsung pioneered years earlier. Moreover, Samsung risks being seen as playing catch-up if it offers variable aperture in the Galaxy S27 series. That could prove to be a frustrating narrative for the Korean firm, which has often led the industry in camera hardware experimentation.