iPhone 17 Pro Loses Night Mode Photo Feature
▼ Summary
– The iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max lack the ability to use Night mode specifically within Portrait mode for low-light photography.
– This omission is confirmed by an Apple support page and user reports, though Night mode remains available in other camera modes like standard Photo.
– Apple has not provided an explanation for removing this feature or indicated if it will be restored in a future update.
– The absence of Night mode in Portrait mode is seen as a downgrade for low-light photography on Apple’s current flagship phones.
– Compatible models for Night mode in Portrait mode include iPhone 12 Pro through iPhone 16 Pro, but not the latest iPhone 17 Pro models.
Owners of the latest iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max have discovered a surprising omission in their camera software: the ability to use Night mode while shooting in Portrait mode. This means that capturing portraits with the signature blurred background effect in dimly lit environments is now more challenging on Apple’s newest flagship phones compared to their predecessors. According to an official Apple support document, the feature is not supported on these models, though Night mode remains fully functional for standard photos, selfies, and time-lapse videos.
The support guide, which lists compatible devices for various Night mode features, conspicuously excludes the iPhone 17 Pro series from the Portrait mode section. The list of iPhones that do support Night mode in Portrait mode includes the iPhone 16 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 14 Pro, iPhone 13 Pro, and iPhone 12 Pro models. This confirmation follows user reports on forums like Reddit, where people noted the feature’s absence last month. Even tech journalists, such as The Verge’s Tom Warren, initially suspected the missing option was a software bug rather than an intentional removal.
Apple has not provided any official explanation for why this specific camera capability was dropped. The company has not stated whether it plans to reintroduce Night mode for Portrait photography in a future software update. When switching to Portrait mode on an iPhone 17 Pro, the familiar Night mode icon that appears in the standard photo mode simply vanishes, leaving users with fewer tools for low-light portrait shots.
While iPhone 17 Pro users can still take excellent Night mode photos in other camera modes, the loss of this feature in Portrait mode is felt by those who frequently shoot artistic portraits in restaurants, at evening events, or in other dark settings. The change makes low-light photography feel like a downgraded experience on Apple’s current flagship phone, as users must choose between the computational brilliance of Night mode or the artistic depth effect of Portrait mode, but not both simultaneously. This represents a notable step back in camera versatility for Pro users who expect each generation to build upon the last.
(Source: The Verge)
