I tested the iPhone 18 Pro’s variable aperture camera. Now I want it on every Android phone

The iPhone 18 Pro offers some interesting lessons for premium Android phones to learn from, such as how to legally ship large batteries and less tangible lessons like how to sell users a narrative. But there’s also one element that Android phones need to relearn from Apple, even though Android pioneered it years ago.

A variable camera aperture is barely a feature worth highlighting on a DSLR, but its inclusion on smartphones remains rare. Several Android phones have offered this over the years, but right now the biggest brands in the US and Europe aren’t offering them, leaving a big opportunity for Apple to swoop in.