Instagram today officially announced that it is bringing the oft-requested portrait mode, which will blur the background of an image, directly into its app. The ability to quickly and easily blur the background of an image, to make sure that what’s present in the foreground is more visible and distinct, is one feature that a lot of smartphone manufacturers are building into their phones. Portrait mode has quickly become a must-have feature. And, as such, Instagram Focus is building it right into the app. Instagram announced the new feature today, and says it’s available for a variety of different iOS devices and Android smartphones. With it, Instagram users will be able to use the built-in camera function to take a portrait using the front- or rear-facing cameras. Instagram Focus will also make it possible to blur the background in a video. Instagram doesn’t go out of its way in its announcement to reveal which “select Android devices” support Instagram Focus, unfortunately. Still, the feature should be a nice addition for folks who don’t have the feature built into their smartphones.
