Focos is a computational photography app for iOS and Android that simulates DSLR-like depth-of-field and lighting effects.

The App DNA

What makes this app unique?

Users hire Focos to achieve professional-grade bokeh and lighting control on mobile, replacing the need for expensive dedicated camera hardware.

For Mobile photography enthusiasts and iPad Pro users seeking DSLR-like control over depth of field and lighting.

What does it look like?

Key features

Computational Depth of Fieldedge

Simulates large aperture DSLR lens characteristics and bokeh effects on standard mobile photos.

3D Lighting Adjustmentedge

Allows users to place and manipulate multiple light sources in 3D space within portrait photos.

Depth Map Patchingedge

Manual refinement of depth data using Apple Pencil on iPad.

How much does it cost?

subscriptionFree tier with core toolsIAP-based premium features for advanced lens and lighting controls

Freemium model utilizes core depth-editing as a free hook, gating advanced professional-grade lens simulations behind IAP.

Velocity

Maintenance developmentperformanceopaqueShow more...

The app currently ships at a maintenance cadence of approximately 0.15 releases per week. Development appears focused exclusively on stability and minor bug fixes, with no evidence of new features or live-ops content in the observed data. The release notes are uniformly opaque, providing no insight into specific development efforts. The current trend is stable at a low-frequency maintenance level.

See all version history

Who built it?

Mosaic S.r.l.

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Explore the full publisher profile

User Sentiment

What do users think recently?

Review voice lately leans mixed. Users appreciate high-quality bokeh effects provide a professional photographic aesthetic that rivals dedicated camera hardware results and intuitive interface design allows casual users to generate complex depth-of-field effects with minimal effort, but report aggressive monetization strategies lock essential saving and editing features behind a high-cost annual subscription.

How are ratings & reviews evolving?

App Store
4.72 · 51k
Google Play
4.32 · 5k

What users say, by theme

What Users Love
  • High-quality bokeh effects provide a professional photographic aesthetic that rivals dedicated camera hardware results
  • Intuitive interface design allows casual users to generate complex depth-of-field effects with minimal effort
What Frustrates Users
  • Aggressive monetization strategies lock essential saving and editing features behind a high-cost annual subscription
+ 2 more themes
What Users Want 1 request inside

100 of 1037 recent reviews analyzed · high confidence · Mixed overall

Read the full review analysis

Unlock 2 more frustration themes and 1 user request, each backed by review evidence.

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Competition

Competitive landscape for Focos

How's the Photo & Video market?

Focos maintains a specialized position in the Photo & Video category, with a 4.72-star rating across 51,401 iOS reviews. The lack of a lifetime purchase option creates a monetization ceiling that limits adoption among casual hobbyists compared to broader AI editors.

Read the market outlook

The rivals identified

B612 AI Photo&Video Editor

By SNOW Corporation

B612 remains a dominant nemesis by leveraging a massive social-integrated AR suite and rapid deployment of viral trends that Focos's technical engine lacks.

  • Massive social-integrated AR makeup and beauty suite far exceeds Focos's technical computational photography focus.
  • High-frequency release cadence ensures rapid adoption of viral trends that Focos's niche engine ignores.
Focos vs B612 AI Photo&Video Editor

Unlock the head-to-head verdict: where this rival wins, and where it loses.

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The Analyst's Read

Key takeaways for Focos

Where is it heading?

The computational photography market is shifting toward automated, AI-driven workflows that prioritize speed over manual precision. Focos remains advantaged in technical lens simulation, but its current maintenance-mode cadence leaves it exposed to rivals that ship new AI creative tools every two weeks.

  • The subscription-only save model continues to drive negative sentiment, which limits the app's growth among casual photography hobbyists.
  • Recent updates focused on stability, no feature expansion, signaling a maintenance-mode posture that risks falling behind faster-moving AI competitors.

The SWOT

Core Strengths
  • Professional-grade optical lens simulation provides a defensible barrier against casual editors
  • 3D lighting adjustment enables creative control unavailable in standard mobile apps
Critical Frictions 2 weaknesses inside
Growth Levers
  • Education partnerships could leverage the app's technical depth for photography courses
  • Wearable integration for remote shutter control remains untapped
Market Threats 2 threats identified

Next best moves

1 Pivot · 1 Maintain

Introduce a one-time purchase option for core features because subscription-only saving is the top user complaint → increase conversion

+ 1 more prioritized move

The counter-intuitive read

The app's maintenance-mode update cadence is a strategic advantage…

Read the full take

Feature gaps

Automated AI background removal (available in B612 but missing here) +1

Since the last report: The product remains in maintenance mode, but the competitive analysis has been updated to highlight the increasing risk of feature obsolescence against AI-first rivals.

Bottom line

Focos delivers superior optical simulation, but its rigid subscription-only save model alienates casual users, so the PM should prioritize a lifetime purchase tier to reduce churn and improve conversion.

Unlock 2 critical frictions, 2 market threats, 1 more prioritized move and the analyst’s take.

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FAQ

Is Focos free to use?
Focos offers a free tier with core tools, but advanced features like professional-grade lens simulations and the ability to save edited photos are gated behind a subscription.
How does Focos compare to B612?
Focos focuses on professional-grade optical and depth-of-field simulation, whereas B612 offers a broader suite of social-integrated AR makeup and viral AI tools.
Is Focos safe for kids?
Focos is rated 4+ on iOS and Everyone on Android, indicating it is suitable for all ages, though it does include in-app subscription prompts.
What is a free alternative to Focos?
Users looking for free alternatives often consider ad-supported apps like Blur Photo Background, which offer manual blur tools without the high-cost subscription model.

Sources

  1. [1] App Store, source
  2. [2] Competitive Landscape, source

Report last updated

Disclosure: Independent intel to help mobile builders succeed.

AI-powered analysis with automated quality gates, built from publicly available sources. Marlvel.ai is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Focos, its developer, the app publisher, Apple, or Google Play. All trademarks, logos, and screenshots referenced remain the property of their respective owners.

What's new

The product remains in maintenance mode, but the competitive analysis has been updated to highlight the increasing risk of feature obsolescence against AI-first rivals.

shifted

Contrarian Take Pivot

added

Expanded SWOT Analysis

shifted

Feature Gap Refinement

Cite this report

Marlvel.ai. “Focos Intelligence Report.” Updated Aug 10, 2026. https://marlvel.ai/apps/focos

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