My brand new iPhone 14 Pro Max’s camera is blurry whenever attempting to take close up pictures in 3rd party apps like Amazon, Target, Walmart (ie barcode scans). Phone is brand new out the box, updated to latest iOS (16.0.2), and have reinstalled the apps.
Anyone else with this issue?
[Re-Titled by Moderator]
iPhone 14 Pro Max
You are correct, there is usually no hardware issue as it works as designed, third parties need to update their apps as stated.
There are several third-party apps that work perfectly scanning bar codes on the 14 Pro Max, as does the QR scanning ability that is now part of the Camera app.
Scan a QR code with your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Apple Support
The Code Scanner that Apple provides in Control Center also works perfectly, the key is not to try to force the block to fill the square but rather back the phone up until the QR code is in sharp focus and the scanner will read it instantly.
This obviously won’t work but backing the phone up a few inches/several cm until the code is in sharp focus will, every time.
If it doesn’t work for you, then there may be something wrong with your device; I recently visited an Apple Store and it worked with every iPhone 14 they had on display, too.
The interesting thing is the Camera app will switch to the macro lens to be able to focus more closely where the Code Reader app instead requires you to hold the phone further away so it can focus.
4” 100m is about right here too for reading using 3rd party apps.. At supermarket not it’s about 8-10inch to read the bar code
Try it with Apple‘s „Code Scanner“, which you can put to your control center, if it is not there yet. This is no Third party app - but doesn’t work neither.
Make an appointment to have your phone examined; it sounds like something internal to the camera subsystem may have failed.
Genius Bar Reservation and Apple Support Options - Apple
This is my third iphone 14 pro. It was exchanged by apple two times already due to blurry videos and shaking USING APPLE’S own camera app (not third party apps. Extremely dissatisfied, since my third iphone that I just got two days ago is having the same issues. I followed all the recommendations the genius bar made (remove 3dr party lens cover/protector), installed as new iphone (don t restore), nothing works. I just tested my friend’s 14 pro max and same issue, my wife’s iphone is doing exactly the same, blurred videos. I think it s time for Apple to acknowledge that some phones have HW camera issues…
This shows how far away from the page the Code Scanner app requires you to get to focus (same QR code as in the previous post), but it works perfectly, even as you can see when the page isn’t quite in focus yet.
Note I’ve altered the photo below because this isn’t meant to be an ad.
I think part of the blurry photo issue is that the iOS gets confused about which camera lens to use. See the image below, I'm using the built-in magnifier and it switches between lenses while using it in under 3 inches. It should not be switching at that distance.
You also need a macro lens when you buy a $6000 mirrorless camera.
The newer cameras use a larger sensor to improve low light performance, but the laws of physics state that means the minimum focus distance will also increase.
That means a switch to the macro lens which can focus at a closer distance.
The same occurs with other premium multi-lens smartphones like those from Google and Samsung.
It may be, but if you think yours has an issue, make an appointment to have your device examined:
Genius Bar Reservation and Apple Support Options - Apple
Can you try with the Walmart app? Does that switch cameras on your phone now?
I stated earlier, it works wonderfully.
Move the phone further away from the bar code and it will be read even if you think it’s too small.
Again, this is a known issue with Apple. They are actively working to resolve. I’m not sure where there is so much back and forth on this topic.
This is not at all how it works. Apple has not announced any changes to their camera API's at all. When you make a breaking change to your OS, you inform developers in the change notes. There are zero mentions of any of that, because they thought the automatic switching that they have enabled in iOS 16 will suffice (it did). Then they have removed it, and still no word on this in the change notes.
I appreciate how much you are trying to blame the developers here but Apple is known for handling breaking changes much differently than your "the developers will just be surprised on launch day that their apps break" approach that doesn't make sense at all. They are usually upfront about things like this to avoid launch-day issues. This is how you know that this time it's different and NOT the developers' fault.
The bottom line is that it still comes down to third-party apps needing to be updated by their authors to properly work with iOS 16.
Apple in general doesn't release statements on issues except when they are fixed.
Perhaps true, in which case app writers need to hold the authors of the supposed cross-platform frameworks to the fire.
IMHO developers should be coding directly for iOS to avoid such issues, but that’s just my opinion; more often than not when cross-platform frameworks are used it makes the app feel generic and somewhat unfriendly, but I get the reason why it’s done, but it’s also far from the truth to state that apps are not written in Objective C for iOS as the vast majority actually are.
Regardless, it still needs to be fixed by a third party as if Apple’s apps work, it’s a compatibility issue and isn’t because Apple’s apps are using a “secret” API.
I was having blurry pictures even with the regular camera app, grainy too. I did have to factory reset it twice, but it seems like it worked. I just called and was asked to take it to a store. I felt the rep over the phone knew what I was talking about and she had to run some diagnostics and immediately set up an appointment. Should I worry?
iPhone 14 Camera is Blurry
