The latest iPhone 17 Pro has quietly lost a key camera feature: Night mode in Portrait mode. The omission, first noted by CNET and confirmed by users, has left many wondering why Apple removed functionality present in previous iPhone Pro models. This isn’t a bug, but a deliberate change that Apple hasn’t yet explained.
What Was Lost?
Night mode automatically brightens photos and sharpens details in low-light conditions. When combined with Portrait mode, which blurs backgrounds for a professional depth-of-field effect, the result was a powerful tool for capturing striking low-light portraits. The iPhone 17 Pro still has Night mode – for regular photos, selfies, and time-lapses – but it’s conspicuously absent when shooting in Portrait.
How Did This Happen?
The removal wasn’t announced. Instead, it was first noticed when the feature disappeared from the iPhone’s online user guide. CNET verified the absence through testing, confirming that Night mode is no longer an option in Portrait mode on the new device. Despite this, the Lidar camera—a key component for low-light focusing and depth perception—remains intact.
Why Now?
The exact reason remains unknown. Apple hasn’t responded to requests for comment. Jeff Carlson, a senior writer at CNET, suspects the feature was removed either because it wasn’t widely used, or because a software glitch during development wasn’t prioritized for a fix. This mirrors a similar decision by Samsung earlier this year, when they removed S Pen Bluetooth connectivity from the S25 Ultra, citing low user engagement.
What Does It Mean?
The omission raises questions about Apple’s approach to feature development. Is this a sign of streamlining by removing underutilized tools? Or is it a case of unintended consequences from software updates? User reactions are mixed, with some not even realizing the feature existed, while others lament its loss.
The iPhone 17 Pro’s camera otherwise received praise for upgrades like an 8x optical zoom and a larger 48-megapixel sensor. Yet, the absence of Night mode in Portrait highlights that even flagship devices can experience unexpected feature regressions.
This change is a reminder that hardware isn’t everything. Software decisions can drastically alter the user experience. For now, the mystery persists: why did Apple remove Night mode from Portrait on the iPhone 17 Pro?
