How Apple’s iOS 12.1 fixed the iPhone XS ‘beautygate’ effect

“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,” Vadim Yuryev writes for AppleInsider. “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,” Yuryev writes. “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.”
Yuryev writes, “Apple corrected the Smart HDR quirk with iOS 12.1, released last week.”

Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: So it’s back to selfie smoothing apps, if that’s your thing!
SEE ALSO:
Beautygate set to die: iOS 12.1 will improve selfie quality on the iPhone XS, XS Max, and XR – October 23, 2018
Photography expert and Halide developer explores iPhone XS/Max ‘beautygate’ issue – October 2, 2018
Do Apple’s new iPhones have a secret built-in ‘beauty mode’ that artificially smooths out selfies? – September 27, 2018