Apple Highlights Best 'Shot on iPhone XS' Photos

Apple this afternoon shared several of the best "Shot on iPhone" photos that it's seen on Instagram and Twitter from customers who have purchased one of the new iPhone XS or iPhone XS Max devices.

The photos were collected from Instagram and Twitter users who included the hashtag "#ShotoniPhone" alongside their photos, with images showcasing Portrait Mode, Smart HDR, more advanced bokeh, Depth Control, and other features introduced with the iPhone XS and XS Max.

shotoniphonexs

Image via Instagram user garethsingham

Apple's new iPhones continue to offer the same 12-megapixel dual-lens telephoto and wide-angle camera system introduced in the iPhone X, but multiple upgrades result in pictures that are better than ever before.


The iPhone XS and XS Max are equipped with an improved wide-angle image sensor that's 32 percent larger than the sensor in the iPhone X and twice as fast for better image fidelity, greater color accuracy, and improved performance in low light conditions.


A new image signal processor and second-generation Neural Engine included with the A12 Bionic chip allow Apple to process photos in a new way, using a Smart HDR feature for better dynamic range. The new hardware also powers Depth Control and better bokeh when using the iPhone's Portrait Mode for artful background blurring.


The full range of Instagram photos highlighted by Apple can be seen in the Apple Newsroom feature.

Related Forum: iPhone

Popular Stories

Apple Logo Zoomed

Tim Cook Teases Plans for Apple's Upcoming 50th Anniversary

Thursday February 5, 2026 12:54 pm PST by
Apple turns 50 this year, and its CEO Tim Cook has promised to celebrate the milestone. The big day falls on April 1, 2026. "I've been unusually reflective lately about Apple because we have been working on what do we do to mark this moment," Cook told employees today, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. "When you really stop and pause and think about the last 50 years, it makes your heart ...
wwdc sans text feature

Apple Rumored to Announce New Product on February 19

Thursday February 5, 2026 12:22 pm PST by
Apple plans to announce the iPhone 17e on Thursday, February 19, according to Macwelt, the German equivalent of Macworld. The report, citing industry sources, is available in English on Macworld. Apple announced the iPhone 16e on Wednesday, February 19 last year, so the iPhone 17e would be unveiled exactly one year later if this rumor is accurate. It is quite uncommon for Apple to unveil...
Finder Siri Feature

Why Apple's iOS 26.4 Siri Upgrade Will Be Bigger Than Originally Promised

Friday February 6, 2026 3:06 pm PST by
In the iOS 26.4 update that's coming this spring, Apple will introduce a new version of Siri that's going to overhaul how we interact with the personal assistant and what it's able to do. The iOS 26.4 version of Siri won't work like ChatGPT or Claude, but it will rely on large language models (LLMs) and has been updated from the ground up. Upgraded Architecture The next-generation...
iOS 26

iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4 Will Add These New Features to Your iPhone

Tuesday February 3, 2026 7:47 am PST by
While the iOS 26.3 Release Candidate is now available ahead of a public release, the first iOS 26.4 beta is likely still at least a week away. Following beta testing, iOS 26.4 will likely be released to the general public in March or April. Below, we have recapped known or rumored iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4 features so far. iOS 26.3 iPhone to Android Transfer Tool iOS 26.3 makes it easier...
iphone 17 pro dark blue 1

iPhone 18 Pro Max Rumored to Deliver Next-Level Battery Life

Friday February 6, 2026 5:14 am PST by
The iPhone 18 Pro Max will feature a bigger battery for continued best-in-class battery life, according to a known Weibo leaker. Citing supply chain information, the Weibo user known as "Digital Chat Station" said that the iPhone 18 Pro Max will have a battery capacity of 5,100 to 5,200 mAh. Combined with the efficiency improvements of the A20 Pro chip, made with TSMC's 2nm process, the...

Top Rated Comments

macduke Avatar
96 months ago
Here is one of my best XS shots from this weekend. Nice detail, bokeh, and highlights:



This next one is not the most interesting shot but it shows the capability when shooting directly into the sun. In years past this photo would be more of a silhouette:



Attachment Image

Attachment Image
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
franzkfk Avatar
96 months ago
Are you all blind? That bokeh is horrible. It looks like it is unnaturally distorted. It does look like washed image.

Attachment Image
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Rogifan Avatar
96 months ago
I’m not sure what’s worse audiophiles or photography/camera snobs.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ryanwarsaw Avatar
96 months ago
Nice enough pics but they border on looking artificial and photo-shopped.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Quu Avatar
96 months ago
They missed this one.



hides
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
macduke Avatar
96 months ago
Absolute butter. Good job man.
These are some of the most amazing portraits I’ve seen. Amazing!
wow this is insane.
Well, it helps a little that I'm an actual photographer. I went to an autumn festival thing with my wife and kids and forgot my camera. While it's no Sony a7R III, it's pretty freaking good for a phone and it turned out to be a fun challenge to try to get the same kind of shots I would usually use my mirrorless gear for. I did edit these photos a little in Adobe Lightroom Mobile, but I feel like I didn't need to do very much, and I would use Lightroom anyway for any photo I take that I would post online or print. When I did try pushing them more to see how they responded, they seemed to be able to be pushed further due to the dynamic range pulling in the highlights and shadows meaning that there are less opportunities for clipping. Not half bad for a JPG (or HEIF). I get better edited JPGs out of this thing than shooting with the RAW mode in Lightroom Mobile and editing that.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)