Apple Reveals New Night Mode Photo Feature Exclusive to iPhone 11 Series

Tuesday September 10, 2019 12:23 PM PDT by Tim Hardwick
Apple today announced the iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, and the iPhone 11 Max, all-new models that boast improved cameras, and specifically, a dramatic new Night Mode photo feature.


Last year, Google introduced its impressive Night Sight camera mode, a software-based feature that allows users to take detailed pictures in dark environments using Google Pixel smartphones.

Apple's new Night Mode (not to be confused with the new Dark Mode interface option in iOS 13) is Apple's rejoinder to Google's Night Sight, and from the little we've seen so far, the results do look at least on par with the Pixel.

When using the camera app on any of Apple's 2019 iPhones, the new Night Mode feature comes on automatically when an indoor or outdoor scene is dark enough to warrant brightening, resulting in natural colors and reduced noise.

In short, new iPhone users should see an immediate improvement when shooting in low light environments, without having to adjust any exposure settings.

The all-new Ultra Wide and Wide cameras in Apple's latest iPhones offer several other advancements that photographers can look forward to. As always, stay tuned to MacRumors for a full hands-on preview of all the new features.

Related Roundups: iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro
Tags: September 2019 event, Night Mode
Buyer's Guide: iPhone 11 (Buy Now), iPhone 11 Pro (Buy Now)
50 comments


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UnLiMiTeD558
2 weeks ago
Apple could easily enable this feature on their older models, this is purely a software feature since it’s been on androids now for a few years. Can’t tell me apples last couple generation chips can’t handle this process. But they won’t enable it since they won’t make money doing that
Rating: 11 Votes
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avatar77
2 weeks ago

Apple could easily enable this feature on their older models, this is purely a software feature since it’s been on androids now for a few years. Can’t tell me apples last couple generation chips can’t handle this process. But they won’t enable it since they won’t make money doing that


Sad but true. This kind of stuff really ticks off your customers, Apple. Fortunately, there are/will be third party apps that will do the same thing. Still not as good as having in the stock camera app.
Rating: 6 Votes
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Paradoxally
2 weeks ago

I'm disappointed in this, Google can do it across their entire lineup!


Google isn't in the business of selling phones when your data will make them way more money.
Rating: 6 Votes
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zekkragnos
2 weeks ago

Is it coming to previous model phones too?

Seriously did you read the tittle or the article at all? Wow
Rating: 5 Votes
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CWallace
2 weeks ago

Apple could easily enable this feature on their older models, this is purely a software feature since it’s been on androids now for a few years. Can’t tell me apples last couple generation chips can’t handle this process. But they won’t enable it since they won’t make money doing that


You could always go third-party app. NeuralCam is getting strong reviews and it is only like $2.99 at the moment. I added it to my iPhone XS Max, though I have yet had a chance to try it.
Rating: 3 Votes
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macduke
2 weeks ago
I'm glad they showed a real example. Yeah, you're going to lose a decent amount of clarity and a lot of dynamic range, but it's far better than a completely unusable photo. And their example photo does seem to be more of an extreme case. Respect for that.
Rating: 3 Votes
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NickName99
2 weeks ago
Glad to see this feature!
Rating: 3 Votes
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dynAdZ
2 weeks ago

Is it coming to previous model phones too?


"...exclusive..."
Rating: 2 Votes
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Sasparilla
2 weeks ago
Nice to see this (finally). Wonder why it took so long, I was really expecting it last year.

Apple should roll this out for the past several generations (Google, when they came up with this on the Pixel, rolled it out for all prior Pixels at the time).
Rating: 2 Votes
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dynAdZ
2 weeks ago

I read the title and the article. The title says it's exclusive to the 11 whereas the article says the feature turns on automatically for the new phones, which almost implies it might be coming to existing phones albeit in a non-automatic mode. So it appears I read the article more closely than you did my friend.
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Existing models can shoot fast bursts as well and the processing doesn't need to be real-time to be useful.


According to apple.com unfortunately only possible with the newer phones due to utilization of the wide angle lense and the A13 chip.
Rating: 1 Votes
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