This week's Vergecast looks at the iPhone 18 Pro camera. The big hardware news is a variable aperture main lens. It can open wider for better low-light photos. It can also close down for sharper group shots.
But the hosts say the software upgrades matter more day to day. They test the camera app's new manual controls. They also look at an improved image pipeline and better ProRAW. Guests David Imel and Allison Johnson join the deep dive. The episode also covers the state of the AI safety debate.
🔍 The Backstory
A variable aperture is rare on a phone camera. Apple usually improves photos mainly through software and chip power. In recent years the biggest jumps came from night mode, portrait tools and RAW editing. This year's mix of hardware and software has reviewers excited.
The AI safety segment follows an Anthropic researcher who quit his job to warn about AI risks. Hopes for new AI laws seem to have stalled. The show asks what may happen next, such as third-party testing of AI models.
🎯 Why It Matters
Almost everyone takes photos on a phone. These small upgrades can make everyday pictures and videos look much better without new skills.
This week's Vergecast looks at the iPhone 18 Pro camera. The big hardware news is a variable aperture main lens. It can open wider for better low-light photos. It can also close down for sharper group shots.
But the hosts say the software upgrades matter more day to day. They test the camera app's new manual controls. They also look at an improved image pipeline and better ProRAW. Guests David Imel and Allison Johnson join the deep dive. The episode also covers the state of the AI safety debate.
A variable aperture is rare on a phone camera. Apple usually improves photos mainly through software and chip power. In recent years the biggest jumps came from night mode, portrait tools and RAW editing. This year's mix of hardware and software has reviewers excited.
The AI safety segment follows an Anthropic researcher who quit his job to warn about AI risks. Hopes for new AI laws seem to have stalled. The show asks what may happen next, such as third-party testing of AI models.
Almost everyone takes photos on a phone. These small upgrades can make everyday pictures and videos look much better without new skills.