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When purchasing a new smartphone, especially a “Pro” model, users typically expect to have access to the latest technology. While software updates keep older devices functional, the coolest innovations are usually reserved for newer models.
However, this time the situation is reversed: there’s a feature that older iPhones can do, but the new iPhone 17 Pro models cannot.
According to an investigation conducted following user complaints on Reddit and forums, iPhone 17 Pro models cannot use “Night mode” and “Portrait mode” simultaneously.
Reddit user “catalyticclover” expressed their disappointment with these words:
“Portraits taken at night don’t look as good as they should. This is a complete ‘step backward’ compared to the quality previous models could achieve.”
Apple Documentation Confirms the Issue
This claim has been confirmed by the company’s own support documents.
According to reports, the relevant support page lists devices that support Night mode and Portrait mode simultaneously. While this list includes models from iPhone 12 Pro to iPhone 16 Pro Max, the newest iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are notably absent from the list.
Why Does This Matter?
It’s not yet clear why the tech giant disabled this feature on its newest flagship. However, for those who want to capture artistic photos in the evening hours, this is a significant loss.
Portrait mode blurs the background to highlight the subject, while Night mode uses long exposure to gather light in dark environments. The combination of these two features enabled users to capture impressive and professional-looking shots in low light conditions.
Strong Camera Hardware Despite the Limitation
Despite this shortcoming, the iPhone 17 Pro remains very powerful in terms of camera hardware. It includes significant upgrades compared to its predecessor, the iPhone 16 Pro models. For example, all three lenses now offer 48-megapixel resolution.
Additionally, there’s a revolutionary innovation in the front camera: users can now capture both vertical and horizontal selfies/videos without rotating the phone.
