Apple is developing AI-powered photo editing tools for its upcoming software updates, including iOS 27, iPadOS 27, and macOS 27, set to launch this fall. These enhancements reflect Apple’s strategy to embed AI across its applications.
The update will introduce three new capabilities: Extend, utilizing generative AI to create content beyond the original image borders; Enhance, applying AI-driven color and lighting adjustments; and Reframe, allowing for perspective changes in spatial photos. However, Extend and Reframe may not be included in the initial release, as Apple has not yet perfected these features.
This overhaul represents a significant upgrade to Apple’s built-in photo editing suite and aligns with the company’s broader initiative to enhance AI functionalities in its software. Mark Gurman of Bloomberg stated that iOS 27 will prioritize AI features alongside improvements in performance and stability.
Apple’s photo editing enhancement comes amid increasing competition from Android rivals such as Samsung and Google. Samsung’s Photo Assist suite, launched with the Galaxy S26 in February, includes natural language editing and background replacement powered by Google Gemini’s models. Google Photos has also expanded its AI editing capabilities with features like generative background changes.
To bolster its AI photo editing efforts, Apple researchers released a dataset called Pico-Banana-400K in October 2025, which contains 400,000 curated images aimed at improving AI models. Additionally, Apple acquired Pixelmator in 2024, enhancing its expertise in image editing tools.
The photo editing tools are part of a broader AI-focused update for iOS 27, which will also feature a revamped Siri chatbot, codenamed Campos, enhanced Visual Intelligence, and updated Wallet and Calendar functionalities. Apple is scheduled to unveil iOS 27 at WWDC on June 8, with a public release expected in September, coinciding with the launch of the first foldable iPhone.
