A month after it was released, the iPhone 7 Plus is finally getting its most-anticipated feature: the new “portrait mode,” which turns the 7 Plus into a surprisingly decent Facebook-profile-picture-taking machine.
The feature is included with the latest version of Apple’s iOS 10.1 mobile operating system, which is available from today (Oct. 24) for iPhone owners to download.
The new photo mode makes use of the 7 Plus’s two rear-facing cameras to be able to perceive depth in a scene. This means the phone’s software can figure out what is a person, and what is the background, and create sharp portrait photos that look nearly as impressive as a portrait shot on a proper camera.
But keep in mind, it doesn’t seem to work particularly well on inanimate objects.
Or on selfies taken in the mirror.
The update also brings other fixes to iOS, including a litany of connectivity and syncing issues, replaying the new animations in Messages, and new Apple Watch features.
To download the new software, open up: Settings > General > Software Update. Just make sure your iPhone was up-to-date with the latest software to see the iOS 10. 1 update.