Portrait Mode
This is an example of someone else doing it first and Apple getting the credit—and for good reason. Google’s “Lens Blur” feature available on early Pixel phones was one of the first versions of what is now widely called “Portrait Mode,” a feature that artificially creates a convincing depth of field similar to what you might get from a lens with a large aperture. Google’s approach relied on a single lens and some fancy algorithms to blur the background of an image. It worked fine but was nowhere near as reliable as Apple’s Portrait Mode, which first debuted on the iPhone 7 Plus.
Apple’s version used two lenses to better separate the foreground from the background. This feature, which essentially mimicked one of the most desired traits of a DSLR (or mirrorless camera) and put it in the pockets of millions of people, was an instant success, particularly with Instagrammers who wanted their shots to stand out.
