Samsung Galaxy S27 Reportedly Drops Variable Aperture Camera Plans Due to Cost and Design Concerns

Samsung may have shelved plans to bring back its variable aperture camera technology with the Galaxy S27 series. Here’s why the rumored camera upgrade could be dropped.

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Samsung might be ditching what could have been the most intriguing upgrade for the cameras of their next-generation flagship handsets. The Galaxy S27 series is anticipated to see the return of Samsung’s adjustable aperture camera technology, which was seen in the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S10, but a recent report reveals that Samsung seems to have changed its mind about that.

According to the Korean media outlet ETNews, Samsung has apparently decided against bringing adjustable aperture tech on its upcoming Galaxy S27 series slated to release in early 2027. This is despite recent reports that revealed Samsung to be considering the technology for its next-generation flagship phones and even working with suppliers for it. Reports from the past also linked the revival of the technology to Apple's plans for its upcoming iPhone 18 series.

This information was revealed by ETNews, while 9to5Google pointed out the development, and Mashable was another source reporting the news. It seems Galaxy S27 owners will have to wait a little more for Samsung to introduce this camera technology in its flagships again.

What Is a Variable Aperture Camera?

For the average smartphone user who is unaware of the technology, variable aperture basically entails that the camera’s lens adjusts itself so as to allow the required amount of light into the picture’s sensor. Variable apertures function in a way similar to the apertures in cameras but in a significantly smaller form factor.

A large aperture results in more light entering the sensor and therefore, helps in photographing in low-light scenarios. On the other hand, a small aperture reduces the amount of light in case there is too much in bright scenarios and increases the depth of field which enables a greater portion of the frame to be in focus.

Samsung had tried its hands at this concept in its mobile devices in the past. In the Galaxy S9 series, Samsung introduced dual aperture on the main camera. This technology was used up until the Galaxy S10 series after which Samsung discontinued the use of this technology.

Why Samsung Is Reportedly Dropping the Feature

However, the two main challenges seem to be cost and design considerations. As reported recently, adding a variable aperture mechanism would lead to increased manufacturing cost, along with extra complications regarding the design of the camera module.

There is always a delicate balance between complex camera hardware that smartphone manufacturers try to use, and the lack of space inside modern smartphones. As a result, a variable aperture mechanism requires some extra elements and room for the camera module itself.

That might become especially problematic for Samsung, which continues developing more compact and stylish flagship models. The reports regarding the upcoming Galaxy S27 model were indicating some changes concerning the company's camera hardware and modules.

Thus, it seems that Samsung does not find the benefits from the variable aperture worth the added manufacturing cost.

Samsung Had Previously Considered Bringing It Back

This is particularly surprising since previous reports portrayed a very different picture. Samsung has been reported to be looking at the possibility of reverting to using variable aperture technology for its upcoming Galaxy S flagship series.

It has been suggested in previous reports that Samsung has asked its component suppliers to develop and supply variable aperture components for testing. It was expected that this technology was going to be used in the next Galaxy S27 series, with the Galaxy S27 Ultra having been mentioned most.

The move by Samsung seemed to make sense back then due to the competitive nature of flagship smartphones cameras. More and more flagship smartphone cameras have become part of the phones themselves with companies like Xiaomi and Huawei among others coming up with bigger sensors, optics, and variable aperture.

Returning to the technology was also going to mark a big shift in the way Samsung had been dealing with its smartphones camera problems.

Apple May Have Played a Role in Samsung's Original Plans

Remarkably, it looks like Samsung's decision to resurrect the concept of variable aperture cameras has been linked to speculations regarding the next generation of Apple's iPhone cameras.

According to reports, Apple may include the feature in its upcoming line of iPhone 18 Pro models. This means that Apple will be able to utilize the technology that Samsung had pioneered for use in smartphone cameras a few years ago. As such, Samsung's earlier intentions concerning the feature were apparently driven by the growing competition in the smartphone camera niche.

Nevertheless, now that Samsung seems to have dropped the idea in regards to Galaxy S27 models, Apple might be able to implement the feature on its flagship iPhone models ahead of Samsung reintroducing it.

Galaxy S27 Camera Upgrades Are Still Expected

Variable aperture cancellation does not necessarily mean that Samsung will make a small update to the cameras of the Galaxy S27 series. Other rumors and reports suggest that Samsung is making some radical changes to its camera hardware.

In particular, the Galaxy S27 Ultra may come with a completely new camera setup. One rumor suggested that Samsung could scrap its 3x telephoto lens and instead concentrate on 200 megapixel main camera, 50 megapixel ultrawide lens and 50 megapixel 5x telephoto lens.

Samsung has also been reportedly developing techniques which would enable to make individual camera lenses thinner. This would allow Samsung to fit better camera hardware into its phone, while keeping the camera bump thin.

All this indicates that Samsung is still working on the improvements to the Galaxy S27 camera system, despite variable aperture cancellation.

What This Means for Galaxy S27 Buyers

The choice made by Samsung will probably not make the Galaxy S27 a bad smartphone camera from the consumers' perspective since Samsung flagship phones use advanced sensors, optical stabilization, computational photography, and artificial intelligence-based image processing algorithms to capture photos in various lighting situations.

On the other hand, the possibility of variable aperture would have been a unique feature, especially from the point of view of photographers who wish to have more options in controlling the way light interacts with their phone.

Furthermore, it needs to be kept in mind that the Galaxy S27 series of smartphones is still several months away from the projected release date. Samsung hasn't officially disclosed the specifications of the Galaxy S27 series.

For now, the reintroduction of Samsung’s variable aperture camera does not seem like a plan. The feature would have been a nostalgic move for the Galaxy devices fans, especially for those who used to enjoy Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S10, as well as another tool for Samsung to compete with the upcoming new cameras by Apple and other flagships.

However, it looks like Samsung pays more attention to the cost, compactness, and convenience of the hardware of its cameras. As for the Galaxy S27 lineup, it should appear in early 2027, so there is still much time before the specifications and component list get changed.

However, according to the latest information, Samsung’s variable aperture camera technology will not be reintroduced with the Galaxy S27 series release.