Photos app on iPhone fake enhancing photos? What's happening here?

[milanwraith]

I recently got a 12 Pro and I'm sure you all know that effect when opening a photo in the photos app and seeing how it pops from a low quality/lesser post processed version to a much better looking version, like it needs a second to load a layer of post processing effects. But after that what you see is what you get, you can share the pic and be happy.

Now I took a pic a few days ago and sent it to a friend in imessage and was disappointed that it lacked most of the contrast that made it look so appealing in the first place. When I went back the photos app, instead of a sudden pop, for the first time I noticed that there was a smooth, roughly 4 second long transition from a low contrast version of the photo to a much more contrasty one. Compare it here
I also have a video of this happening in real time (skip back and forth if you can't see the effect right away).

Now it gets spooky - if I screenshot the high contrast version after the transition and open the screenshot, it stays the low contrast version and the photos app won't apply this enhancement to it.

Ultimately, the high contrast version of this picture only exists temporarily when the original photo is viewed in the photos app on my 12 pro, meaning it can't be shared, exported or viewed on my other devices (including ipad 6th gen). What is this and what's the point?

 

[Slartibart]

What format is the photo taken?

 

[milanwraith]

HEIF - I've just learned that the HDR approach for photos on iOS resembles HDR codec in video rather than HDR in terms of layering different exposures, and that this "enhancement" is just the iPhone applying the screen brightness accordingly.

I was under the impression that HDR in photography always refers to layering, which in my understanding shouldn't affect the result no matter on what screen it is viewed and if it supports HDR or not. Seems I was wrong and the term HDR just got even muddier for me.

Can anyone confirm?

Edit: Can confirm for myself now. I never bothered to check the photos settings since upgrading from my 7 but there are so many new options, one of them being "View Full HDR" and that's exactly what's happening. So if anyone is as confused as I was: There's no fake enhancing of any sort, the term HDR simply has like 20 different meanings at this point and it seems nowadays it mostly describes the process of the source giving the monitor accurate information as to how and where to adjust brightness. Like on TVs.

Monologues ftw