Apple has a new Shot on iPhone ad out today, and this time the camera work comes from a Blackpink member rather than a professional filmmaker. ROSÉ’s music video for her song “new trick” was filmed entirely on the iPhone 18 Pro, and Apple is using it to sell the phone’s new camera hardware.
Apple’s video mixes footage from the finished music video with behind-the-scenes shots of the filming setup. As usual for Shot on iPhone productions, the crew paired the phone with high-end rigs for stability and cinematic camera movement.
Apple Says the Variable Aperture Camera Shaped the Video’s Look
Apple credits the new variable lens aperture on the 48MP Main camera for improving the video’s low-light footage and adding what the company calls impressive depth of field. That aperture is one of the headline additions on the iPhone 18 Pro, which launched today alongside an upgraded Main camera, updated Photographic Styles, automatic subject tracking, and Pro Controls for manually adjusting aperture and shutter speed mid-shoot.
Reviewers have already singled out that same camera system as the standout upgrade of this generation, something we covered in detail once early reviews started landing. Putting the hardware in front of a working artist shooting a real music video is a more direct proof point than a studio demo reel.
Shot on iPhone Has a Long History With Musicians
Apple has run Shot on iPhone campaigns featuring musicians for years, having previously worked with The Weeknd, Lady Gaga, and Olivia Rodrigo on similar projects. The format works well for Apple because it doubles as proof that professional-grade footage is possible without a full film crew, while giving the artist a polished new music video to promote at the same time.
This year’s push around the iPhone 18 Pro camera has leaned heavily on high-profile visuals. Pricing on the iPhone 18 Pro starts at $1,199.
Our Take
Pairing a camera launch with a real artist’s real project works better than a scripted demo because the stakes are real. ROSÉ needed a finished, releasable music video that could stand on its own, and that requirement makes the variable aperture claims more credible.
