iOS 16 Improves iPhone Photos and Videos, but Only Some Models Are Eligible

iOS 16 brings improvements to the iPhone's photography and videography capabilities, but only some of the latest ‌iPhone‌ models are eligible to receive the software upgrade.

iPhone 13 Cinematic ModeThe iPhone 13's Cinematic mode

The software update introduces significant improvements to portrait photos and Cinematic mode. Announced when Apple previewed iOS 16 earlier this year at WWDC, iOS 16 brings improved quality to video recorded with Cinematic mode, making the depth-of-field effect more accurate for profile angles and around the edges of hair and glasses.

Apple is also bringing the ability to blur objects in the foreground of a photo to iOS 16, producing what Apple calls "a more realistic‑looking depth‑of‑field effect."

The updates to portrait photos and Cinematic mode are exclusive to the ‌iPhone 13‌, ‌iPhone 13‌ Pro, and ‌iPhone 13‌ Pro Max, according to Apple. It is not clear if the omission of the ‌iPhone 13‌ mini is an error or an intentional exclusion.

Cinematic mode was one of the key features Apple touted when it unveiled the ‌iPhone 13‌ lineup last year, but Portrait mode has been available on almost all ‌iPhone‌ models since the launch of the ‌iPhone‌ 7 Plus in 2016, so it is not clear why only the latest models benefit from the Portrait mode software improvements.

Apple's upcoming iPhone 14 and ‌iPhone 14‌ Pro models are also likely to support these improvements alongside a range of other camera upgrades. Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo previously said that he believes that the camera quality of the ‌iPhone 14‌ Pro models will "elevate mobile phone camera photography to a new level."

Popular Stories

iPhone SE 4 Vertical Camera Feature

iPhone SE 4 Production Will Reportedly Begin Ramping Up in October

Tuesday July 23, 2024 2:00 pm PDT by
Following nearly two years of rumors about a fourth-generation iPhone SE, The Information today reported that Apple suppliers are finally planning to begin ramping up mass production of the device in October of this year. If accurate, that timeframe would mean that the next iPhone SE would not be announced alongside the iPhone 16 series in September, as expected. Instead, the report...
iPhone 17 Plus Feature

iPhone 17 Lineup Specs Detail Display Upgrade and New High-End Model

Monday July 22, 2024 4:33 am PDT by
Key details about the overall specifications of the iPhone 17 lineup have been shared by the leaker known as "Ice Universe," clarifying several important aspects of next year's devices. Reports in recent months have converged in agreement that Apple will discontinue the "Plus" iPhone model in 2025 while introducing an all-new iPhone 17 "Slim" model as an even more high-end option sitting...
Generic iPhone 17 Feature With Full Width Dynamic Island

Kuo: Ultra-Thin iPhone 17 to Feature A19 Chip, Single Rear Camera, Semi-Titanium Frame, and More

Wednesday July 24, 2024 9:06 am PDT by
Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo today shared alleged specifications for a new ultra-thin iPhone 17 model rumored to launch next year. Kuo expects the device to be equipped with a 6.6-inch display with a current-size Dynamic Island, a standard A19 chip rather than an A19 Pro chip, a single rear camera, and an Apple-designed 5G chip. He also expects the device to have a...
iPhone 16 Pro Sizes Feature

iPhone 16 Series Is Less Than Two Months Away: Everything We Know

Thursday July 25, 2024 5:43 am PDT by
Apple typically releases its new iPhone series around mid-September, which means we are about two months out from the launch of the iPhone 16. Like the iPhone 15 series, this year's lineup is expected to stick with four models – iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max – although there are plenty of design differences and new features to take into account. To bring ...
icloud private relay outage

iCloud Private Relay Experiencing Outage

Thursday July 25, 2024 3:18 pm PDT by
Apple’s iCloud Private Relay service is down for some users, according to Apple’s System Status page. Apple says that the iCloud Private Relay service may be slow or unavailable. The outage started at 2:34 p.m. Eastern Time, but it does not appear to be affecting all iCloud users. Some impacted users are unable to browse the web without turning iCloud Private Relay off, while others are...
iPhone 17 Plus Feature Purple

iPhone 17 Rumored to Feature Mechanical Aperture

Tuesday July 23, 2024 9:32 am PDT by
Apple is planning to release at least one iPhone 17 model next year with mechanical aperture, according to a report published today by The Information. The mechanical system would allow users to adjust the size of the iPhone 17's aperture, which refers to the opening of the camera lens through which light enters. All existing iPhone camera lenses have fixed apertures, but some Android...