The iPhone 18 is already driving major shifts deep in the semiconductor supply chain, as Samsung Electronics expands production of image sensors, prompting one of its key testing partners to invest over $120 million in new equipment, The Elec reports.


Doosan Tesna, a South Korean post-process semiconductor testing company, this week announced that it will spend $123 million on test systems from Japan's Advantest, Samsung subsidiary Semes, and Japan Interaction. The investment is equal to 21.77% of the company's total assets, and will be completed in stages between 2026 and March 2027.

The purchase is believed to be directly related to Samsung's new image sensor production line in Austin, Texas, which is expected to supply components for the ‌iPhone 18‌ in 2027. Samsung's return to Apple's camera image sensor supply chain marks its first in roughly a decade and could alter the long-standing dominance of Sony, which has provided nearly all iPhone sensors to date. Apple reportedly sought to diversify suppliers after delays in Sony's deliveries between 2023 and 2024.

Doosan Tesna specializes in electrical testing of wafers after fabrication, a process that identifies defective chips before packaging and improves manufacturing yield. More than 90% of its revenue comes from Samsung's Foundry and System LSI divisions.

Doosan Tesna's decision to diversify away from Teradyne equipment toward Advantest is also notable. Advantest systems are widely used for high-performance chips such as GPUs, memory, and AI processors, suggesting Samsung's new sensors for Apple may demand more advanced verification processes.

Samsung's production line in Austin is a key element in Apple's effort to reduce reliance on Japanese suppliers and to expand production within the United States. If Samsung's sensors meet Apple's performance and reliability standards, the move could make it the company's second major image sensor supplier.

Doosan Tesna's major financial commitment represents over one-fifth of its total assets, reflecting how preparations for Apple's future iPhones are already reshaping global semiconductor investment over a year before production begins.
This article, "Suppliers Already Preparing for iPhone 18's Camera" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple's iPhone 18 Pro models will feature a significantly upgraded rear camera with a variable aperture, ETNews reports.


The Korean-language report claims that only the ‌iPhone 18‌ Pro and ‌iPhone 18‌ Pro Max will feature the camera, which will replace the main wide-angle camera on the rear, sitting alongside the ultra-wide and telephoto cameras.

A variable aperture allows the camera to adjust the amount of light that reaches the sensor. This means that in dark environments, the aperture can be opened to receive more light, while in light environments, it can be closed to prevent over-exposure. It also should provide users with greater control over depth of field, which refers to how sharp a subject appears in the foreground compared to the background.

Apple is now moving ahead with plans to bring the technology to next-generation iPhones and is now discussing components with suppliers. The variable camera is reportedly set to be made by LG Innotech and Foxconn, while the actuator is to be manufactured by Chinese companies Luxshare ICT and Sunny Optical.

Apple has never used a variable aperture on an iPhone camera before. The main cameras on all of the ‌iPhone‌ 14 Pro through iPhone 17 Pro models have a fixed aperture of ƒ/1.78, and the lens is always fully open and shooting with this aperture. Samsung Electronics previously brought a variable aperture camera to its Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S10 models in 2018 and 2019, but due to increased thickness and high price, it dropped the feature in 2020.

The report corroborates a rumor from Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo shared in December last year. The ‌iPhone 18‌ Pro and ‌iPhone 18‌ Pro Max are expected to be announced alongside the iPhone Air 2 and Apple's first foldable ‌iPhone‌ in the fall of 2026.
This article, "iPhone 18 Pro's Major Camera Upgrade to Be Variable Aperture" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple's upcoming foldable iPhone will have a frame that's made from a mix of titanium and aluminum, analyst Jeff Pu said today in a note shared with investors.


Pu suggested that Apple will expand its use of titanium, with the material set to be used in both the 2026 ‌iPhone‌ Fold and iPhone Air models. This isn't the first time a mixed metal chassis has been rumored for the foldable ‌iPhone‌, because Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said earlier this year that Apple will use multiple materials.

While Pu says Apple is going to use titanium and aluminum, Kuo said that Apple will use titanium and stainless steel. He suggested that the foldable ‌iPhone‌'s hinge will be made from stainless steel and titanium, with the device's frame set to be made from titanium. Kuo also believes some hinge components will be made from Liquidmetal for further durability.

The foldable ‌iPhone‌ is rumored to be as thin as 4.5mm when opened up, which would make it even thinner than the ‌iPhone Air‌. It would need the strength of a titanium frame to prevent bending issues. Apple gave the ‌iPhone Air‌ a titanium frame, and that proved to be a good decision because multiple bend tests show that the titanium Apple used for the ‌iPhone Air‌ is resistant to bending.

Kuo did not mention aluminum as a potential material for the foldable ‌iPhone‌. Pu's wording isn't entirely clear on how Apple will use the two materials, but he's either suggesting that Apple plans to use a titanium and aluminum hybrid compound for the device's frame, or saying Apple will use titanium in some areas and aluminum in other areas.

Additionally, the metal frame will turn favorable on increasing usage of titanium, which will likely be adopted by iPhone 18 Fold (titanium + aluminum) and iPhone 18 Air.

Small amounts of aluminum are often used in titanium alloys, and the two metals can be combined in higher proportions as well. Since titanium is heavier than aluminum, Apple might also be planning to use titanium for the stress bearing parts of the frame and aluminum elsewhere to cut weight.

Apple's foldable ‌iPhone‌ is expected to be part of the iPhone 18 lineup, launching in September 2026. Rumors suggest that the display will be around 5.5 inches in size when closed, unfolding to approximately 7.8 inches when opened up.

More information about the foldable ‌iPhone‌ can be found in our guide.
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While the iPhone 17 series and the iPhone Air are still a few days away from launching, there are already some early rumors about the iPhone 18 Pro's design.


Overall, the iPhone 18 Pro models will feature a similar design as the iPhone 17 Pro models, according to Digital Chat Station, a previously-accurate leaker with more than three million followers on Chinese social media platform Weibo.

In a post today, the leaker said the devices will have the same rear camera system design as the iPhone 17 Pro models, with a "plateau" housing three lenses in a triangular arrangement. He also expects the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max to have the same 6.3-inch and 6.9-inch display sizes used since the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max.

Notably, the leaker claimed that the Ceramic Shield area on the back of the iPhone 18 Pro models will feature a "slightly transparent design," without elaborating.

The post also said the iPhone 18 Pro models will be equipped with a stainless steel vapor chamber cooling system. On the iPhone 17 Pro models, Apple says the vapor chamber is laser-welded into the aluminum unibody, but it is not entirely clear if it uses any other types of metal. Teardowns will provide a closer look at the vapor chamber in the coming days.

In related news, Taiwan's Commercial Times this week reported that iPhone 18 Pro models will be equipped with an A20 Pro chip, fabricated with TSMC's latest 2nm process. The devices will also feature Apple's C2 modem, rather than a Qualcomm modem, the report said. Both of these changes have been widely rumored already.

Like all sources, Digital Chat Station has some hits and misses. We are still a year out from the iPhone 18 Pro models, so expect plenty more rumors to follow. Even if early rumors are true, designs and specs can change before they are finalized.

Earlier this week, another leaker claimed the iPhone 18 Pro models will feature a smaller Dynamic Island, but they do not expect the devices to have under-screen Face ID.
This article, "iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max Design Rumors: Translucent MagSafe Area, Display Sizes, and More" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple's next-generation iPhone 18, iPhone 18 Pro, and iPhone 18 Pro Max models will be equipped with a slightly smaller Dynamic Island, but the devices will not feature under-screen Face ID, according to the Weibo account Instant Digital.


There were conflicting rumors about whether the iPhone 17 Pro models would have a smaller Dynamic Island, but its size did not change. Now, the rumor is back on the table for the iPhone 18 series, and there is a decent chance it will be true this time around, as it would be a stepping stone towards the rumored 20th-anniversary all-glass iPhone.

Under-screen Face ID has been rumored for the iPhone 16 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 18 Pro models, so it feels like one of those features that is always a year or two away. Indeed, if the latest information shared by Instant Digital is accurate, under-screen Face ID will not debut until the iPhone 19 Pro models or later. The cycle repeats.

None of the iPhone 18 models will feature an under-screen front camera, the account added. Instead, the devices will have a smaller Dynamic Island and a visible front camera, according to the information they shared on Weibo today.

Instant Digital has around 1.5 million followers on Weibo, a popular Chinese social media platform. The account has accurately leaked information about future Apple products in the past, such as the iPhone 17 Pro models featuring a vapor chamber cooling system, the Yellow finish for the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus, and the Apple Watch Ultra 2's Titanium Milanese Loop. However, the account does not have a perfect track record, and some of the other iPhone 17 rumors it shared in recent months did not materialize.

We are still a year away from the iPhone 18 series, so buckle up, as there will be plenty more rumors about the devices to come.
This article, "New iPhone 18 and iPhone 18 Pro Rumors: Smaller Dynamic Island, No Under-Screen Face ID" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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While the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are still a year away, there are already a few rumors about the devices that offer an early look ahead.


If you are skipping the iPhone 17 Pro and want to know about what to expect from the iPhone 18 Pro models, we have recapped a few of the key rumors below.

Under-Screen Face ID

In April 2023, display industry analyst Ross Young shared a roadmap showing that iPhone 17 Pro models would feature under-display Face ID. In May 2024, however, Young said he heard this change had been delayed until 2026. If so, that means that under-screen Face ID could debut on the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max next year.

As a result of the under-screen Face ID, Young believes that the iPhone 18 Pro models will have a smaller Dynamic Island.

In May 2025, The Information also reported that the iPhone 18 Pro models would likely be equipped with under-screen Face ID.

Variable Aperture

The main 48-megapixel Fusion camera on both iPhone 18 Pro models will offer variable aperture, according to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

With variable aperture, users would be able to control the amount of light that passes through the camera's lens and reaches the sensor. The main cameras on all of the iPhone 14 Pro through iPhone 17 Pro models have a fixed aperture of ƒ/1.78, and the lens is always fully open and shooting with this widest aperture. With the iPhone 18 Pro models, users would be able to manually change the aperture, according to this rumor.

A variable aperture on iPhone 18 Pro models should provide users with greater control over depth of field, which refers to how sharp a subject appears in the foreground compared to the background. However, given that iPhones have smaller image sensors due to size constraints, it is unclear exactly how meaningful this improvement would be.

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman incorrectly reported that the iPhone 17 Pro models would feature a "variable aperture system," a few days before Apple's event.

2nm A20 Pro Chip and Apple's C2 Modem

iPhone 18 Pro models are expected to have an A20 Pro chip fabricated with TSMC's latest 2nm process, which could deliver significant performance improvements, and Apple's power-efficient C2 modem for cellular connectivity.
This article, "Skipping the iPhone 17 Pro? Here's What's Rumored for iPhone 18 Pro" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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An established Chinese leaker has pushed back against recent rumors suggesting Apple plans to eliminate the Camera Control button from the iPhone 18, instead claiming the company is working to simplify the component to reduce costs.


According to Weibo leaker Instant Digital, the Camera Control's pressure-sensitive modules for the iPhone 18 series currently remain in trial production. However, Apple is reportedly removing the capacitive sensor from the current dual-sensor design, and opting instead to rely solely on pressure sensing to achieve all button functions.

The current Camera Control button on iPhone 16 models uses both capacitive and pressure sensors beneath a sapphire crystal surface. The capacitive layer detects touch gestures, while the force sensor recognizes different pressure levels for taps, presses, and swipes.

Instant Digital says Apple's revised approach is similar to designs found in devices like the OPPO X8 Ultra and vivo X200 Ultra, where pressure sensors alone can recognize light taps, firm presses, and sliding gestures.

The leaker suggests cost concerns are driving the change, noting that the current solution is "genuinely very expensive" for Apple and is generating costly after-sales repairs. This is said to be creating "significant internal cost pressure" for Apple, especially since not all of its AI-powered Visual Intelligence features have fully rolled out yet, which is limiting the button's perceived value.

• iPhone 16 Camera Control: Everything You Need to Know

Instant Digital has a decent track record for leaks, suggesting this is a genuine debunk of the recent report from another Weibo account indicating that Apple would drop the Camera Control from the iPhone 18 lineup due to low user engagement. Its removal would have been quite the reversal – Apple only debuted the Camera Control button on the iPhone 16 series last year.
This article, "Apple to Simplify iPhone 18 Camera Control Button, Not Remove It" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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