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Does True Tone turn off automatically when in the photos app or watching videos?

vtboyarc

vtboyarc

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jan 12, 2011
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As my title says, does anyone know about this? What about for HDR content? I’ve tried checking by turning it off and on while in the photos app, but I can’t quite tell if it’s using it or not. Maybe my eyes adjust too fast to it during the couple steps it takes to go back and forth, even when using the control center to toggle it.
If it doesn’t disable TT for photos/videos, what do you all think, better to turn it off manually for those things?
 
It definitely doesn't shut off for video. I'm not really a fan of true tone so far but I'm keeping it on to see if I can get used to it.
 
Back when True Tone debuted on the 9.7" iPad Pro, True Tone did automatically disable when launching the Photos app.

However trying this on my X, True Tone definitely does not automatically disable.

I'm not sure if this is an iOS 11 change.
 
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quamsi said:
I find True Tone to be much more accurate in color tones so am happy to keep it on at all times, including photos and videos.
Click to expand...

I wonder if it is actually more accurate, or feels more natural to our eyes?
 
Just like with TV’s where you generally want to set it to the warm setting to have a more accurate representation of the shows/movies watched. On an iPhone you’ll want True Tone enabled for the same reasons. Content is usually edited to be viewed on the warmer side and not on a blue screen.
 
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iSayBoourns said:
Just like with TV’s where you generally want to set it to the warm setting to have a more accurate representation of the shows/movies watched. On an iPhone you’ll want True Tone enabled for the same reasons. Content is usually edited to be viewed on the warmer side and not on a blue screen.
Click to expand...

That makes sense!
 
I have been wondering about this on my iPad. I don’t think it does, so whenever I watch Netflix I turn it off.
 
quamsi said:
No, if True Tone is on, it will stay on when in photos. Compare with a photo with lots of white.
Click to expand...

Comparing with a white picture, it’s seems you are correct. It does seem as though the effect is lessened but it’s not off. It might just be the True Tone restibg to wherever I am idk.
 
True Tone makes the screen more comfortable, but not more accurate. It literally applies a warm tint to the screen - that makes the colors deviate from the factory calibration of the screen.
 
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Suckfest 9001 said:
True Tone makes the screen more comfortable, but not more accurate. It literally applies a warm tint to the screen - that makes the colors deviate from the factory calibration of the screen.
Click to expand...

I don’t think that’s true. Because when you calibrate your tv, you calibrate it to the lighting you’re generally going to be viewing that tv it at. And that’s exactly what True Tone does. It shifts based off ambient light.
 
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iSayBoourns said:
I don’t think that’s true. Because when you celebrate your tv, you celebrate it to the lighting you’re generally going to be viewing that tv it at. And that’s exactly what True Tone does. It shifts based off ambient light.
Click to expand...
No. These panels aren't reflective - for best accuracy, ambient light isn't normally taken into account. At least not to the degree at which it is right now with True Tone.
 
Over the years, I have hated warm displays. My iPhone 8 Plus has a perfect tint to it, but I have grown so accustomed to True Tone, that it bothers my eyes when I turn it off. I find it ironic that the time I finally get a perfect color tint, I don't take use it.
 
Oddly enough, True Tone still shuts off in the photos app just as it always has on my 9.7” iPad Pro running 11.2 beta 2. It’s defintely not shutting off in the photos app on my X though.
 
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Suckfest 9001 said:
No. These panels aren't reflective - for best accuracy, ambient light isn't normally taken into account. At least not to the degree at which it is right now with True Tone.
Click to expand...

True Tone makes whites a more accurate white based off the ambient light you’re in. If you’re whites are right then so are your colours.

If your whites are on the blue side it shifts all your colours off as well. Same goes for if your whites are too orange.
[doublepost=1510161124][/doublepost]
MacDevil7334 said:
Oddly enough, True Tone still shuts off in the photos app just as it always has on my 9.7” iPad Pro running 11.2 beta 2. It’s defintely not shutting off in the photos app on my X though.
Click to expand...

iPhone X has a much better ambient light sensor. I believe 10bit while other versions of True Tone only have something like 4-6bit ambient light sensor. It probably stays on for the 10 because it’s just more accurate than previous (even including what’s in the 8/8+) versions of True Tone.
 
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iSayBoourns said:
True Tone makes whites a more accurate white based off the ambient light you’re in. If you’re whites are right then so are your colours.

If your whites are on the blue side it shifts all your colours off as well. Same goes for if your whites are too orange.
Click to expand...
Sigh... that's not how calibration works at all. True white is a certain kelvin value - ambient light color doesn't change the accuracy to the reference kelvin. This is the last reply I have to give on this matter - you can google this on your own time if you need any more information.
 
iSayBoourns said:
True Tone makes whites a more accurate white based off the ambient light you’re in. If you’re whites are right then so are your colours.

If your whites are on the blue side it shifts all your colours off as well. Same goes for if your whites are too orange.
[doublepost=1510161124][/doublepost]

iPhone X has a much better ambient light sensor. I believe 10bit while other versions of True Tone only have something like 4-6bit ambient light sensor. It probably stays on for the 10 because it’s just more accurate than previous (even including what’s in the 8/8+) versions of True Tone.
Click to expand...

So perhaps it’s fine on the X to just keep
True Tone on and not worrying about whether or not it turns off in photos app or when viewing videos. That would be nice if that’s the case!
 
Suckfest 9001 said:
Sigh... that's not how calibration works at all. True white is a certain kelvin value - ambient light color doesn't change the accuracy to the reference kelvin. This is the last reply I have to give on this matter - you can google this on your own time if you need any more information.
Click to expand...

Except the colours coming off the screen can be influenced by the ambient light you’re in. That’s a fact. Ambient light will change the perceived colours.

This is where True Tone comes in and adjusts, allowing those colours to be properly perceived by the eye/brain again.
 
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iSayBoourns said:
iPhone X has a much better ambient light sensor. I believe 10bit while other versions of True Tone only have something like 4-6bit ambient light sensor. It probably stays on for the 10 because it’s just more accurate than previous (even including what’s in the 8/8+) versions of True Tone.
Click to expand...
Interesting possible explanation. It would be nice if Apple gave us the option to turn it off in photo and video apps though. I’d rather colors not be adjusted for ambient light when I look at photos. Of course, I’m finding True Tone to be a bit too aggressive in general on the X so I’m considering turning the feature off.
 
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