3D Pop
The person steps out over the frame. Tap the photo, then 3D Pop.
Technology · 03
Intelligence that stays on your device.
Lifting a subject out of a photo, blurring a background or placing words behind someone all need the app to understand what is in the picture. That understanding happens on your device, and nothing is sent away to make it work.
It finds the person, right on your phone
One photo, many layers
The subject becomes its own layer.
The app uses Apple Vision, built into iPhone and iPad, to find the person or pet in your photo and lift them onto their own layer. Everything else in the app can then go behind them, around them or in front of them.
What it makes possible
Words behind the subject
A caption sits behind the person, like a magazine cover. Choose Place behind subject.
Change the background
BG Blur, Cutout or No Subject, in Studio under Background.
How it works
- 1Find the subject
- 2Clean the edges
- 3Remember it with the photo
- 4Use it anywhere
All of it runs on your device. It works offline, and nothing about your photo is sent anywhere. The app finds the subject once and keeps it, so changing a filter or a frame colour does not make it look again.
Show the six steps as the app runs them
AI-01Receive photoUse the normalized imported image.
→AI-02DiscoverRequest foreground instances from Apple Vision.
→AI-03RefineApply the shared matting and edge rules.
→AI-04IdentifyAssociate stable subject and layer identities.
→AI-05PersistStore reusable mask and cutout references.
→AI-06ConsumeUse assets in Layer Magic, 3D Pop and export.
When there is no clear subject
A landscape, a busy crowd or a plain wall may have no one to lift out. The app says so instead of inventing a cutout, switches off only the effects that need a subject, and everything else keeps working.
Show the decision table
| Usable subject | Requested outcome | Expected behaviour | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yes | 3D Pop | Use the subject cutout and permit overflow into reserved matte clearance. | Supported |
| Yes | Text behind subject | Compose behind text below the subject and front content above it. | Supported |
| Yes | Portrait Blur | Keep the subject sharp and blur the background plate at the strength you choose. | Supported |
| No | Subject-dependent effect | Do not fabricate a cutout. Explain or safely disable the unavailable outcome. | Fallback |
| Not required | Original background | Continue through the original-image path without unnecessary segmentation. | Bypass |
The requirements behind it
Written as a business analyst would: the purpose, the rules, the quality expected and the acceptance criteria that the tests check.
Show the purpose, rules and quality
Business purpose
Create reusable scene structure for subject-aware composition.
The capability allows the product to blur or remove a background, lift a subject through the frame, place words behind it, and reuse the same creative structure during export and recovery.
Business process
AI-01Receive photoUse the normalized imported image.
→AI-02DiscoverRequest foreground instances from Apple Vision.
→AI-03RefineApply the shared matting and edge rules.
→AI-04IdentifyAssociate stable subject and layer identities.
→AI-05PersistStore reusable mask and cutout references.
→AI-06ConsumeUse assets in Layer Magic, 3D Pop and export.
Rules that protect the experience
- Subject separation runs on device.
- A clear subject is a precondition, not a guaranteed outcome.
- Reusable visible AI pixels require persisted asset references.
- The live canvas must not own full-resolution source pixels.
Non-functional expectations
- UI work remains responsive during analysis.
- AI assets survive document restoration.
- Preview and export preserve subject identity and ordering.
- Unsupported Simulator inference is treated as an environment constraint.
Show the five acceptance criteria
- Given an eligible photo with a usable foreground subject, when subject-aware processing completes, then the document retains recoverable mask or cutout references for that subject.
- Given a document with persisted AI assets, when the project is restored, then subject-dependent composition can be reconstructed without relying on a process-global full-resolution image.
- Given a photo with no usable subject, when a subject-dependent outcome is requested, then the application provides a safe fallback rather than presenting a false successful result.
- Given the same synchronized document and profile, when preview and export render the subject stack, then behind content, subject cutout and front content retain the same semantic order.
- Given a look-only change such as a filter or frame colour, when the document updates, then structural AI discovery is not repeated unless the change invalidates the relevant artifact.
Common questions
How do I cut out the subject of a photo on iPhone?
Tap the photo and choose 3D Pop. For a background option such as BG Blur, open Studio and choose Background. The app finds the foreground subject on the device and creates a reusable cutout you can pop out of the frame or place text behind.
Does the AI work without an internet connection?
Yes. Scene understanding and subject separation run locally using Apple Vision, so they work offline and nothing about your photo leaves the device.
What if the photo has no clear subject?
The app tells you rather than inventing a result. Subject-dependent effects explain themselves or switch off safely, and the rest of your composition continues to work.