How Apple addressed the 'beautygate' effect in iOS 12.1
In this video, we compare selfie photos captured by two iPhone XS Max handsets, one with the latest iOS 12.1 update and another running iOS 12.0.1, to illustrate the fixes Apple implemented for so-called "beautygate" skin smoothing effects.
iPhone XS selfie comparison.
As a brief refresher, Apple with its latest iPhone XS and XS Max models introduced a new camera feature called Smart HDR that greatly increases the dynamic range of both still photos and videos by combining multiple frames captured at different exposures.
Due to its implementation, Smart HDR can in some cases lower local contrast and introduce noise in low light photos, the latter of which is dealt with using fairly aggressive noise reduction.
Last month, users taking selfies noticed the Smart HDR feature would smooth out their skin to a point that made resulting photos appear doctored. Known as "beautygate" -- a term implying Apple intentionally enabled the effect -- the issue was ultimately tracked down to a software bug that at times selected the wrong base frame for HDR processing. Instead of choosing a frame with a short exposure and more detail, Smart HDR would opt for a frame with a longer shutter speed.
Under many conditions, the extra noise reduction on iPhone XS made skin appear soft, even when compared to selfies taken with iPhone X. In brighter conditions, however, "beautygate" becomes a nonissue because frames are captured at short exposure times, meaning there is no need for enhanced noise reduction.
Apple corrected the Smart HDR quirk with iOS 12.1, released last week.
Comparing photos captured on identical hardware, the difference between iOS 12.0.1 and iOS 12.1 is immediately apparent. The beauty filter look is now gone, though there is also noticeably more noise.
If we crop in, the difference in noise is easy to see if you look at the wall.
Before the update, the long exposure base frame with extra noise reduction smoothed out all of the details, making facial hair and pores look blurry.
Now adding a little bit more light, there isn't as much of a difference, but the same differences are apparent by cropping in. Some of the pores on the left look smoothed out, whereas with iOS 12.1, everything is super sharp. Not only that, but if you look closely, you'll notice that there's a little bit more contrast after the update.
Now moving directly in front of a window, it's hard to notice any difference at all since noise reduction isn't a factor anymore.
However, you'll notice that there's a little bit more contrast with 12.1, just by looking at the pores. The extra contrast is more easily noticeable if you look at the gray sweater.
Moving outside, it's hard to notice a difference, but if you look closely, the extra contrast is definitely there. It's easily noticeable if you look at the eyebrows.
Again, in this photo, we see the same results. It's a very subtle change but it definitely makes a difference. There is a general increase in detail across all of these photos as well.
In some photos, the contrast difference is more noticeable. Compare the difference in detail in the stones below and you'll notice all of the fine details come out after the 12.1 update thanks to the extra contrast. The shadows on the lawn look darker with 12.1 and the tree itself looks more detailed with the added contrast.
Though Apple addressed the "beautygate" issue with iOS 12.1, the switch to a shorter exposed base frame reintroduces some extra noise. Along with that, it seems that Apple toned down the warmth of iPhone XS photos a bit.
iPhone XS selfie comparison.
As a brief refresher, Apple with its latest iPhone XS and XS Max models introduced a new camera feature called Smart HDR that greatly increases the dynamic range of both still photos and videos by combining multiple frames captured at different exposures.
Due to its implementation, Smart HDR can in some cases lower local contrast and introduce noise in low light photos, the latter of which is dealt with using fairly aggressive noise reduction.
Last month, users taking selfies noticed the Smart HDR feature would smooth out their skin to a point that made resulting photos appear doctored. Known as "beautygate" -- a term implying Apple intentionally enabled the effect -- the issue was ultimately tracked down to a software bug that at times selected the wrong base frame for HDR processing. Instead of choosing a frame with a short exposure and more detail, Smart HDR would opt for a frame with a longer shutter speed.
Under many conditions, the extra noise reduction on iPhone XS made skin appear soft, even when compared to selfies taken with iPhone X. In brighter conditions, however, "beautygate" becomes a nonissue because frames are captured at short exposure times, meaning there is no need for enhanced noise reduction.
Apple corrected the Smart HDR quirk with iOS 12.1, released last week.
Comparing photos captured on identical hardware, the difference between iOS 12.0.1 and iOS 12.1 is immediately apparent. The beauty filter look is now gone, though there is also noticeably more noise.
If we crop in, the difference in noise is easy to see if you look at the wall.
Before the update, the long exposure base frame with extra noise reduction smoothed out all of the details, making facial hair and pores look blurry.
Now adding a little bit more light, there isn't as much of a difference, but the same differences are apparent by cropping in. Some of the pores on the left look smoothed out, whereas with iOS 12.1, everything is super sharp. Not only that, but if you look closely, you'll notice that there's a little bit more contrast after the update.
Now moving directly in front of a window, it's hard to notice any difference at all since noise reduction isn't a factor anymore.
However, you'll notice that there's a little bit more contrast with 12.1, just by looking at the pores. The extra contrast is more easily noticeable if you look at the gray sweater.
Moving outside, it's hard to notice a difference, but if you look closely, the extra contrast is definitely there. It's easily noticeable if you look at the eyebrows.
Again, in this photo, we see the same results. It's a very subtle change but it definitely makes a difference. There is a general increase in detail across all of these photos as well.
In some photos, the contrast difference is more noticeable. Compare the difference in detail in the stones below and you'll notice all of the fine details come out after the 12.1 update thanks to the extra contrast. The shadows on the lawn look darker with 12.1 and the tree itself looks more detailed with the added contrast.
Though Apple addressed the "beautygate" issue with iOS 12.1, the switch to a shorter exposed base frame reintroduces some extra noise. Along with that, it seems that Apple toned down the warmth of iPhone XS photos a bit.
Comments
They also defend data mining and ads.....
Maybe Apple will make the smoothed effect an option in a future version of iOS!
- [iOS 12.1] Fixes an issue where the sharpest reference frame was not always selected in front-facing photos for iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone XR
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT209084Also: no one has addressed the same problem with hair? When photographing pets, the aggressive de-noise effect has been especially egregious.
But yeah, I know, no one can tell, and photographers are mocked for claiming to be more attentive. Especially hard for the average person to know what’s going on when articles only serve up images that aren’t scaled or focused correctly.
In most cases pictures are amazing but with certain lighting, like at sunset the camera has a very strange Color correction that it does automatically and it doesn’t go away by turning off HDR, I was just at the Grand Canyon and I was pictures of the canyon as the sun was setting but the parts of the canyon that were highlighted by the remaining sun created some
really unnatural color in the pictures, a really ugly red , so it feels like that beauty gate continues as far as I’m concerned
but I feel like they won’t ever realize it
Took on a photo of my lawn with the new phone. Took the same photo at night, and everything seemed much different. I would have thought that Apple had the technology to make every single picture of my lawn look exactly the same.
#gardengate.
https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/nov/01/google-walkout-global-protests-employees-sexual-harassment-scandals
Since the mass walkout of Google employees over claims of endemic racism and sexual harassment, and the company handing millions in hush money to the problems under the radar, their fan base has been suspiciously quiet.
🤔