Apple introduced the latest version of iOS, the iOS 10.1 update, unleashing one of the most incredible features of adding a "depth effect" to portraits captured by the dual-lens camera of iPhone 7 Plus. The iOS 10.1 software also allows the user to blur an image and thus incorporates a feature of a professional DSLR camera into the iPhone 7 Plus.
The Wall Street Journal reported the iOS 10.1 update enables the iPhone 7 Plus to calculate relative distance of objects owing to its two rear lenses. The Apple phone also uses a software to find the edges of objects through contrast and face detection. Through this, the Apple phone enhances the depth of an image by managing the amount of light that enters the lens and sensors.
This feature was first introduced in Huawei's P9, which was manufactured in conjunction with Leica that had a similar capability. Their software is more complicated as well as powerful. It allows the user to tap a focus point after taking a shot and adjust the amount of blur that is applied. However, since these phones are not very popular in the U.S., the feature did not gain widespread attention. With the iOS 10.1 update for the iPhone 7 Plus bringing in this feature, it is likely to impress the users.
With the iOS 10.1 update, when a user selects portrait mode in the camera application, the iPhone 7 Plus switches to its 2X telephoto lens and an in-the-screen viewfinder is automatically enabled. The iPhone 7 Plus applies what it perceives to be an appropriate amount of blur. The amount of blur increases with an increase in the distance of the object from the point of focus.
The iPhone 7 Plus automatically saves both versions of the captured image--the depth-effect version and the original photo. The blur effect, when placed appropriately, separates a beautiful face from the background distractions and thus enhances the object of focus. However, the feature works well only with human portraits and is not very effective on pictures of nature.
In addition to improved features in the camera, the iOS 10.1 also offers solutions to quite a large number of the complaints pertaining to messaging and mail applications. Users who were unhappy with weather widgets, not uploading data, cloud data backup restoration, activity sharing, unclear audio in video messages have been offered some respite with all of their issues addressed through the iOS 10.1 updates.
