Instagram introduces new Focus feature in app

Instagram today posted an app update, featuring a portrait-mode-like “Focus” function:

Now you can instantly take portraits of yourself or friends that you’ll want to share — with the new “Focus” camera format.

When you open the camera, you’ll see “Focus” next to “Superzoom” under the record button. Take a selfie or switch to the back-facing camera to find a friend. As soon as there’s someone in the shot, you’ll notice the person stays in focus while the background softly blurs — making sure they stand out in a striking way. Simply tap to take a photo or tap and hold to record a video. When you’re done, you can add creative tools like filters, stickers and text to your photo or video before sending to your friends on Instagram Direct or adding to your story.

We’re also rolling out the @mention sticker on iOS, which makes it even easier to connect with friends in your stories. After you’ve taken a photo or video in your stories camera, open the stickers tray, tap the @mention sticker, start typing the name of the account you want to mention and select from the options that appear. You can then rotate, scale and place your sticker wherever you’d like.