Samsung has reportedly decided against adding a variable aperture main camera to the Galaxy S27 series. The decision comes after earlier reports pointed to the feature making its return. Back in May, reports suggested the Galaxy S27 Ultra could feature a 200MP main camera with variable aperture. The move would have matched growing rumors about the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max.
However, a new report from Korea claims Samsung has now dropped the plan. The company reportedly decided not to use a variable-aperture camera on any Galaxy S27 model. The decision appears to come down to cost and design concerns. A variable aperture system would increase manufacturing costs and make the camera bump thicker.
Samsung also reportedly found that the feature would not offer enough practical benefits. Those gains were not considered strong enough to justify the added cost of the camera system. The decision also comes as smartphone makers face rising DRAM costs. As a result, Samsung appears to be looking more closely at which camera features are worth the extra expense.
This would not be Samsung’s first experience with variable-aperture cameras. The company introduced the technology with the Galaxy S9 in 2018 and continued it with the Galaxy S10 in 2019.
However, Samsung dropped the feature from later Galaxy smartphones. The latest report suggests the company is not planning to bring it back with the Galaxy S27 lineup.
For now, the Galaxy S27 Ultra could still receive a 200MP main camera. But the variable aperture system that was previously rumored may no longer be part of the upgrade.
