The integration of depth control into smartphone cameras seems to be a growing trend among mobile phones today, but its capability is limited by the fact that the depth of field can only be adjusted after taking an image. That"s the case with the recently announced iPhone XS range.
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However, Apple is planning to add the ability for iPhone XS users to control its depth of field in the middle of capturing a photo in Portrait mode. According to a report from Macerkopf, the Cupertino-based tech giant has confirmed that it will roll out support for depth control as part of an upcoming iOS update.
For the uninitiated, the depth of field is responsible for the bokeh effect on images, isolating the subject from its environment which results in a blurry background. This phenomenon is due to a shallow depth of field. Otherwise, everything in the frame is in focus when the depth of field is wide. The depth of field can be naturally adjusted with DSLR cameras, but it requires some special software so that it can be controlled in mobile devices.
While current software systems allow users to fine-tune the depth of field after shooting, Apple is working to blend the slider with the camera app to let them adjust the depth of field while taking an image. The company promised to add this capability as part of a future iOS 12 update later this year, though the feature is already available with the iOS 12.1 beta 1.
The final version of iOS 12.1 is expected to launch in late October. So it"s safe to assume that by that time this function may also become available to all iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max users.