Apple's New iPhone X Video Focuses on Selfies Taken With Portrait Lighting - MacRumors
Skip to Content

Apple's New iPhone X Video Focuses on Selfies Taken With Portrait Lighting

by

Apple shared a new video on its YouTube channel today that shows off selfies taken with the iPhone X.

The 38-second video cycles through a collection of selfies taken by iPhone X owners using the smartphone's front-facing TrueDepth lens system and Portrait Lighting effects. The ad also includes poetry by Muhammad Ali.


Portrait Lighting has been the focus of a few recent Apple videos, including two ads that acted as tutorials for the feature. More recently, one from earlier in January explained how Portrait Lighting offers studio quality lighting effects without a studio, while showing off various examples.

Since the iPhone X launched in early November, Apple has posted videos focusing on many of the smartphone's new features, like Face ID and Animoji. Apple even embraced the phenomenon of Animoji Karaoke in one video, showcasing how iPhone X owners can use the animated characters to lip sync to popular songs and send the clips to friends and family in Messages.

Top Rated Comments

TwoBytes Avatar
108 months ago
They never look like this when I take photos. They must be using real studio lighting to sell fake studio lighting fx...
Score: 21 Votes (Like | Disagree)
itsmilo Avatar
108 months ago
How about some real life lighting?
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
JM Avatar
108 months ago
What a cool documentary highlighting the problem with our society: our fascination with self, and the technology that enables our....what?.... oh.... commercial for Apple.

Nevermind.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
108 months ago
Not a very good ad, and there's more to the iPhone X than portrait selfies and animoji.

I wish Apple would do some (albeit shorter) follow ups to the "Meet iPhone X" ad which really showcased the device.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
69Mustang Avatar
108 months ago
They used a slashed face again in this one. See on the right.
These look horrible. I almost think Apple is doing on purpose. If they keep showing photos like this they will become common place and acceptable to the masses. Zac Hall from 9to5Mac uses a portrait shot for his twitter photo. It looks like someone used scissors to cut around his head and tape it to a black background.
[doublepost=1516567130][/doublepost]
Ooooooh, lookat me. I soooo pretty. I take my picture and look at it over and over. Tell myself how pretty i am and send to everyone so they can tell me how pretty i am. I soooo pretty. Thanks Apple, look I soooo pretty. Can i send you photo too, Apple. I take pretty picture of myself with your phone and you must want to see me too. Ooooh sooo pretty. Mwah, mwah, mwah. Luv-a-ly. Apple need to set up text line, like when facetime first came out so i can share all my pretty me photos with Apple employees in China. We love you Apple, you make such pretty, durable products for professionals, like me. Mwaaaaaaah!
Hmmm...okay. She swiped left didn't she?
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
JackieTreehorn Avatar
108 months ago
They never look like this when I take photos. They must be using real studio lighting to sell fake studio lighting fx...
I was thinking the exact same thing. I get very good portrait photos when I use the camera on the back. The front camera of my iPhone X....no way. And I do think I know a thing or two about cameras and pictures..
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

Ads Are Coming to Apple Maps Feature

Apple Announces Ads Are Coming to Apple Maps

Tuesday March 24, 2026 9:22 am PDT by
As expected, Apple has officially announced that ads are coming to the Apple Maps app on the iPhone and iPad in the U.S. and Canada starting "this summer." Apple says businesses in the U.S. and Canada only will be able to place ads in search results and at the top of a new "Suggested Places" section in the app. "Ads on Maps will appear when users search in Maps, and can appear at the top...
little finder guy macbook neo top

Apple Leans Into Little Finder Guy With New TikTok Videos

Monday March 30, 2026 4:47 pm PDT by
When promoting the MacBook Neo, Apple found a surprise hit with a tiny anthropomorphized version of the Mac Finder icon, which people have taken to calling Little Finder Guy. Little Finder Guy starred in some of Apple's early March TikTok videos, and Apple is now targeting Finder fans with a trio of new videos. Three tutorials on Apple's TikTok account star Little Finder Guy. Videos feature...
iPhone 17 Pro Stickers Ad

Apple Covers iPhone 17 Pro in Stickers in New Ad

Thursday April 16, 2026 8:25 am PDT by
In a video uploaded to its YouTube channel in South Korea today, Apple showed off a handful of iPhone 17 Pro devices decorated with tiny stickers. The stickers are placed on the iPhone 17 Pro's so-called "plateau," the protruding aluminum area housing the rear cameras, an LED flash, a microphone, and the LiDAR Scanner. The video has the hashtags #PhoneDecor and #iPhoneCustomization....