iOS 27 gets new AI photo editing tools
Apple is set to introduce a range of AI-driven photo editing features in iOS 27, continuing the company's push to bring more advanced image manipulation tools directly to the iPhone. The additions would allow users to make edits that previously required third-party applications or desktop software, all within the native Photos app.
Apple has been steadily layering machine learning into its photo pipeline for several years, starting with features like Smart HDR and Night mode, and more recently adding object removal and the Clean Up tool introduced in iOS 18. iOS 27 appears to extend that trajectory, though the full scope of the new tools has not yet been formally detailed by the company.
The timing aligns with broader industry movement toward on-device generative image editing. Competitors including Google, with its Magic Editor on Pixel devices, and Samsung, with its Galaxy AI photo tools, have made similar investments. Apple has generally differentiated its approach by emphasizing on-device processing for privacy reasons, and any new features in iOS 27 would likely follow that same architecture.
For everyday users, native AI editing tools reduce the friction of moving images between apps and keep editing within a familiar interface. For developers and the wider ecosystem, expansions to Apple's Core Image and related frameworks could also open new possibilities for third-party camera and editing apps. More specifics are expected when Apple formally presents iOS 27, likely at its annual Worldwide Developers Conference.
