Apple 'prepares' AI-powered photo editing tools for iOS 27

Apple is reportedly working on a new suite of AI-driven photo editing features expected to launch with iOS 27 later this year, as part of a broader push to compete with Android’s advanced imaging tools.

According to Mark Gurman, the tools will be integrated into Apple’s ecosystem under its “Apple Intelligence” framework, extending across iOS 27, iPadOS 27, and macOS 27. These features will rely on on-device AI processing, allowing users to edit images within seconds without sending data to the cloud.

The upcoming update is expected to introduce a dedicated “Apple Intelligence Tools” section within the Photos app. Among the key features:

Enhance: Uses AI to automatically improve lighting, color, and overall image quality.

Extend: Expands images beyond their original borders using generative AI.

Reframe: Designed for spatial photos, enabling users to adjust perspective after capturing an image.

Clean Up: An improved version of Apple’s object removal tool, aimed at fixing current inconsistencies.

Apple’s move appears to be a direct response to rivals like Google and Samsung, which have already integrated advanced AI editing tools into their devices. Features such as Magic Eraser and generative image expansion have become standard on many Android smartphones.

Despite the ambitious plans, development hasn’t been entirely smooth. Reports suggest that some features—particularly Extend and Reframe—are not yet performing consistently. However, Apple still has several months to refine these tools before the official release later this year.

It remains unclear whether these new capabilities will incorporate models from Google, especially amid ongoing collaboration between the two companies that could also lead to a more advanced Siri experience.