Apple released iOS 10.1 beta last week with a new "Portrait" mode on iPhone 7 Plus. The depth-of-field feature uses the smartphone's dual cameras and advanced machine learning to make the subject in the foreground sharp while creating an out-of-focus blur in the background, known as the bokeh effect.
Since then, several MacRumors readers have shared beautiful shallow depth of field photos shot with iPhone 7 Plus. Many of the photos look like they were captured with a higher-end DSLR camera, which is impressive given how small the iPhone's cameras are. In many ways, the best camera truly is becoming the one you carry in your pocket.
MacRumors reader Bryan, for example, shared some photos he shot at the ArtPrize international art competition in Grand Rapids, Michigan this week. Each photo beautifully demonstrates Apple's artificial bokeh effect, achieved by combining two images from the wide-angle and telephoto lenses to create a depth map.
The crowdsourced iPhone 7 Plus Photography topic in the MacRumors discussion forums has dozens of other great examples of both regular and shallow depth of field photos, including this swimming pool portrait shared by reader erwheezy. Make sure to click the link ahead to read the full article with more examples.
The depth-of-field effect requires iOS 10.1, currently in beta for developers and public testers. The update should be officially released in October.
Apple is planning to launch at least 15 new products in 2026, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
Gurman outlined what to expect from Apple in 2026 in the latest edition of his "Power On" newsletter. He said the company is heading "into one of its most pivotal years in recent memory," with the rollout of major new Apple Intelligence features, intense regulatory pressure on the App Store,...
Friday October 31, 2025 1:40 pm PDT by Joe Rossignol
The upcoming iOS 26.1 update includes a small but helpful change for iPhones, and it could prevent you from running late to something important.
Specifically, when an alarm goes off in the Clock app, there is a new "slide to stop" control on the screen for turning off the alarm. On previous iOS 26 versions, there is simply a large "stop" button, which could be accidentally tapped.
The new ...
In his "Power On" newsletter, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman today provided an update on the status of Apple Intelligence and the plans for it in 2026.
Apple is still planning to roll out its revamped version of Siri around March of next year. The release should be accompanied by the release of a new smart home display product with speaker-base and wall-mount options. A new Apple TV and HomePod...
A new Apple TV and HomePod mini could launch as soon as this month, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman today suggested.
In today's "Power On" newsletter, Gurman said that Apple retail stores are planning an overnight refresh on the evening of November 11, where changes will be made after closing, such as refreshing displays and placing new products for the following day.
The timing of the overnight...
Friday October 31, 2025 8:52 am PDT by Tim Hardwick
Apple is expected to launch a new foldable iPhone next year, based on multiple rumors and credible sources. The long-awaited device has been rumored for years now, but signs increasingly suggest that 2026 could indeed be the year that Apple releases its first foldable device.
Below, we've collated an updated set of key details that have been leaked about Apple's foldable iPhone so far.
Ove...
Friday October 31, 2025 7:32 am PDT by Joe Rossignol
Apple has just given a strong indication that it will not be releasing any additional new Macs for the remainder of the year.
Apple's CFO Kevan Parekh dropped the hint during the company's earnings call on Thursday:On Mac, keep in mind, we expect to face a very difficult compare against the M4 MacBook Pro, Mac mini, and iMac launches in the year-ago quarter.Parekh essentially gave a heads up ...
Monday November 3, 2025 1:11 pm PST by Juli Clover
Apple today released iOS 26.1, the first major update to the iOS 26 operating system that came out in September, iOS 26.1 comes over a month after iOS 26 launched. iOS 26.1 is compatible with the iPhone 11 series and later, as well as the second-generation iPhone SE.
The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones over-the-air by going to Settings > General >...
Wednesday October 29, 2025 4:22 am PDT by Tim Hardwick
Apple is about to drop iOS 26.1, the first major point release since iOS 26 was rolled out in September, and there are at least six notable changes and improvements to look forward to. We've rounded them up below.
Apple has already provided developers and public beta testers with the release candidate version of iOS 26.1, which means Apple will likely roll out the update to all compatible...
We're officially in the month of Black Friday, which will take place on Friday, November 28 in 2025. As always, this will be the best time of the year to shop for great deals, including popular Apple products like AirPods, iPad, Apple Watch, and more. In this article, the majority of the discounts will be found on Amazon.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When ...
Hooray, now we'll have a thread full of photography snobs talking about how their DSLR is sooooo much better and how these photos look terrible by comparison. :rolleyes:
I agree, these shots are excellent for an iPhone,...and that's what we should be judging by...I used to be a professional photographer,...I still have my full frame 5DmkII along with my trusted 50mm portrait lens,...I pull it out about 10-12 times per year to take pictures of my kids....now would I confuse photos from the two cameras? Probably not...am I impressed by these sample images from average users? Very much so...not because they are well framed, or not because they provide perfect professional style portrait shots, but because they are coming from the phone in my pocket...because with time, with the right light, we now can get the types of pictures we always felt we needed a big DSLR for...my photo library of my family is about 30,000 strong...I would say about 10% came from a DSLR...so if the 90% could start to get better from generation to generation of mobile phone,...then that makes me happy...
You carry an iPhone and a high end camera everywhere? I'd say most people don't have/carry both, but personally I think the possibilities of this bokeh effect are nothing but a good thing. Also, it's in beta, it won't get worse
No - not most places. But I personally don't think I would use this effect on my phone given the results. I would rather shoot it normally and do my own blur effects when/if I wanted to. Did you see the odd borders on the images in the thread mentioned. Maybe when reduced down to a mobile screen they look perfect - but not full size/desktop size. Also I'm not really sure you can call the effect in the photos I've seen bokeh. They simply look DoF blur.
Here's an example of bokeh - it's not just about blur.
[doublepost=1475107594][/doublepost]
This is good! The photos are lovely, the feature itself needs work.. I mean this is a great first step, but look at that roof in the first pic.. Ooouuuch. That's not the effect Apple are trying to emulate at all. That's not even remotely what it comes out like in real "out of focus".. Once they've figured out things like that though it's nice.. Seems to work best when there's lots of detail at all distances.
