It looks like Samsung might be revisiting one of its more interesting camera experiments from the past. A new report out of Korea suggests the company is exploring the return of variable aperture on future Galaxy smartphones, possibly starting with the Galaxy S27 series.
According to Korean publication ET News, Samsung’s mobile division has asked Samsung Electro-Mechanics and MCNEX to begin developing smartphone-ready variable aperture systems. Industry sources quoted in the report describe Samsung as “strongly committed” to bringing the feature back, which suggests this isn’t just early-stage experimentation.
A feature Samsung already tried back in 2018
Variable aperture isn’t new for Samsung. The company introduced a dual-aperture system on the Samsung Galaxy S9, allowing the camera to switch between f/1.5 and f/2.4. It carried over to the Samsung Galaxy S10 before quietly disappearing with the Galaxy S20 lineup.
For those unfamiliar, variable aperture allows the camera lens to physically adjust how much light enters the sensor.
- A wider aperture (lower f-number) helps in low light and creates stronger background blur.
- A narrower aperture improves sharpness and depth of field in bright conditions.
On Galaxy smartphones, most improvements over the last few years have come from processing algorithms rather than mechanical lens adjustments. Bringing back real optical control could give Samsung another tool to improve image quality, especially in challenging lighting.
Earlier rumors had suggested the feature might return with the Galaxy S26 series, but that now seems unlikely. The focus appears to have shifted to the Galaxy S27 lineup, which would likely arrive in early 2027 if Samsung sticks to its usual schedule. The feature would likely roll out exclusively on the Galaxy S27 Ultra to differentiate it from the rest of the lineup.
Interestingly, this development comes alongside separate rumors that Apple may introduce variable aperture on the iPhone 18 series, potentially in 2026 and possibly limited to Pro models.
If Samsung manages to refine the technology and keep the module slim, variable aperture could make a meaningful comeback in flagship smartphones. And for mobile photography enthusiasts, that’s at least something to keep an eye on.
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(Source: ET News)
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