Instagram on Tuesday introduced a new Focus camera feature for both photos and video that takes clear pictures of people in the foreground while softly blurring the background.
The feature works similarly to current dual camera phones but with a single camera, and Engadget says it's even better than Apple’s portrait mode feature because it works on more devices and includes video, which Apple doesn’t do.
The feature gives Instagram an edge over competitor Snapchat, TechCrunch reported, which has floundered a bit recently in the wake of an unpopular redesign and negative press attention from an advertisement poking fun at domestic violence.
The Focus feature is found in the Instagram Stories options with Boomerang and Superzoom, and works with iPhone 6s and newer phones and select Androids.
A TechCrunch reader who compared the Apple and Instagram features showed slightly more facial blurriness around the edges with the Instagram Focus feature, but still said its wider availability still made it an advantage.
Instagram also rolled out Mentions stickers in iOS to make tagging friends in a Story easier, TechCrunch reported.
Twitter users didn’t seem to care much about the new feature and mostly complained about other malfunctioning Instagram features and lack of support.
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