Get a closer look at the iPhone 18 Pro’s mechanical camera
iFixit's teardown of the iPhone 18 Pro reveals a complex mechanical variable aperture lens. While the engineering is impressive, the mechanism is nearly impossible to repair, likely necessitating full camera assembly replacements.
Why it matters
It highlights the ongoing tension between advanced hardware innovation and consumer right-to-repair concerns.
iFixit’s latest device teardown shows us the inner workings of the new variable aperture lens inside Apple’s iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max, alongside some repair concerns to be mindful of. The adjustable mechanical iris opens and closes magnetically, controlling how much light should pass through to the sensor, featuring six leaf-like overlapping blades that are each about as thin as a human hair.
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