Apple finally gives iPhone users the pro camera controls Android has had for years

Apple is set to introduce new professional camera controls to its upcoming iPhone 18 Pro models, a feature Android phones have long offered. These controls include shutter speed, white balance, aperture, and a histogram, which can be used to monitor exposure across a scene. The new 48MP main camera features a physical variable aperture, allowing users to manually set it between f/1.48 and f/4 in four steps.

This is a significant upgrade for Apple, as the company has traditionally been a leader in point-and-shoot photography but lacked the same level of manual camera control as Android rivals. Samsung, for instance, has provided physical aperture adjustment on its devices since 2018. Apple's iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, unveiled today, include a customizable Pro controls interface within the Camera app, enabling users to manually adjust these settings.