Apple today uploaded a new video to its YouTube channel that's dedicated to showing off the Depth Control feature available on the iPhone XS, ‌iPhone‌ XS Max, and ‌iPhone‌ XR.

Entitled "The Backdrop," the video features the Depth Control in action on a shot of a woman taken on a busy street with a lot going on in the background.


Depth Control is used to blur the background out, putting the focus on the woman in the picture.

Introduced on Apple's newest iPhones, Depth Control is a Portrait Mode feature. Once you capture a Portrait Mode image, you can use the Depth Control slider to change the amount of blur in the background.

Apple also recently shared a new video on the Smart HDR feature in the new iPhones. Smart HDR is an automatic feature designed to bring out more detail in highlights and lowlights in ‌iPhone‌ photos.


The video was created as a behind-the-scenes look at the techniques used by Jia Zhangke in his recent short film captured to celebrate Chinese New Year.

Top Rated Comments

Hermes Monster Avatar
60 months ago
....why exactly can’t my iPhone X do this but the XR can?
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
alpi123 Avatar
60 months ago
Congrats Apple marketing to the 1% that will habitually use this feature...
I don't know if the percentage is more but I sure enjoy this feature. Though, I mostly prefer the default setting at which the Portrait Mode blurs the background but I like to play with it, it's cool seeing how the bokeh changes. It's certainly great to have. Even if you just want to remove it, because if you want to force the tele camera, you can do in Portrait and just remove the effect. Otherwise the regular photo setting decides if the tele lens should be used.
[doublepost=1549573431][/doublepost]
....why exactly can’t my iPhone X do this but the XR can?
Just download a third party app. Much more control over the bokeh. I mean, total control.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
colmaclean Avatar
60 months ago
....why exactly can’t my iPhone X do this but the XR can?
Because Apple wants you to buy a newer phone.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

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