iOS 8 Will Have A Pointless Time-Lapse Feature When Released This Fall

The last time Apple added camera functions to iOS a lot of people were excited. Along with the high-resolution photos, iPhone owners can now take slow-motion videos and panoramic shots.

This time around, iOS 8 will have all the fun things it did before, plus easy composition features and a time-lapse photography mode.

Time-lapse photography itself is not new, Re/code pointed out, and a number of iOS apps have camera functions that allow users to take time-lapse photos.

Apple's goal is improve on what already exists, not simply keep up with the Jones' and it appears they have accomplished that feat.

Here's how the company describes it on its website:

Capture the experience of the sun setting, a city street bustling, or a flower blooming with the new Time-lapse mode in Camera. iOS 8 does all the work, snapping photos at dynamically selected intervals. The result is a video showing an accelerated sequence of the photos over time. Just set up your device to shoot what you want. Swipe to select Time-lapse mode, tap the Record button, and let Camera record as long as you choose.

Walt Mossberg at Re/code argues that, yes, the camera might snap all the intervals and put together the sequence etc. but shooting a time-lapse is never going to be like snapping a selfie.

"It requires time - taking many photos over days or weeks - and added equipment, like tripods," he said.

Most people are not carrying around tripods so this feature is obviously not going to get the use others do. However that hasn't stopped developers from playing around with it.

Some of the other related features include an iCloud Photo Library and the ability to make fine composition changes such as brightness, contrast and exposure.

The only trip up with the time-lapse feature for the iPhone is the device's battery life. How long the phone will be able to film will be interesting.

Some are already voicing their opinions about it:

Time Lapse in iOS 8 is cool, but honestly, your iPhone's battery will probably die before the phone finishes filming. https://t.co/Dj24Y3bczf

- Mark Gurman (@markgurman) July 15, 2014

Re/code found these two YouTube videos of the iOS 8 time-lapse function.