Apple is preparing new AI photo editing tools for iOS 27

Apple is preparing a set of new AI-powered photo editing tools for iOS 27, according to a report by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.

Gurman writes that the company is planning a major upgrade to its built-in image editing features, in a move designed to help Apple compete more closely with Android devices.

The new tools will run on the Apple Intelligence platform. The release for iOS 27, iPadOS 27, and macOS 27 is scheduled for the autumn. The AI will process images directly on the device.

A new section called Apple Intelligence Tools will appear in the editing interface, with four main features: Extend, Enhance, Reframe, and Clean Up.

• Extend will let users fill in the background beyond the edges of the original frame, dragging the boundaries of the shot outwards with a finger.
• Enhance will automatically improve colours and lighting.
• Reframe is designed for 3D photos and will allow the user to change the angle of a finished image.

Development is reportedly not going smoothly. During internal testing, the new tools have been unstable, which could push the rollout back. Users are also already criticising the existing Clean Up feature for introducing distortions.

According to Gurman, Apple is now playing catch-up — Google and Samsung are already making heavy use of advanced AI features on their smartphones.