Apple is reportedly preparing a major upgrade to its built-in photo editing tools across the iPhone, iPad and Mac, powered by its Apple Intelligence platform. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman has reported that the update is expected to roll out with iOS 27, iPadOS 27 and macOS 27 later this year. The new editing tools are said to include options such as extend, enhance, reframe, and an improved Clean Up tool. Apple is expected to preview the changes at WWDC 2026, scheduled from June 8 to June 12.
iOS 27 built-in photo editing tools: Details
According to a Bloomberg report, Apple is developing a new set of AI-powered editing features that can extend, enhance and reframe photos. These tools are expected to run on-device and complete processing within seconds.
At present, the Photos app on Apple devices offers four main editing options: Adjust, Filters, Crop and Clean Up. Among these, Clean Up is the only AI-based feature, allowing users to remove unwanted objects from images. However, users have reported mixed results, including visual artifacts and inaccurate fills after object removal.
The upcoming update is expected to introduce a new “Apple Intelligence Tools” section within the editing interface. This will include features like extend, enhance, reframe and an improved Clean Up tool.
The extend feature will allow users to expand an image beyond its original frame by generating additional content. For instance, a tightly cropped photo of a landmark could be widened to include surrounding scenery generated through AI. Users will reportedly be able to control how much of the image is extended by adjusting the edges manually.
Enhance will improve elements like lighting, colour balance and overall image clarity using AI. Meanwhile, reframe will likely be aimed at spatial photos designed for the Vision Pro headset, letting users adjust the perspective after capturing the image. This could allow shifting focus from one angle to another within the same photo.
Apple is trying to catch up in this space, as Google has offered AI photo editing tools on Pixel devices for years, including Magic Eraser, Photo Unblur and image expansion. Similarly, Samsung has also introduced comparable AI editing features across its Galaxy phones.
As reported, the internal testing suggests that some tools, particularly Extend and Reframe, are not yet consistently reliable. Apple may delay or modify these features depending on how its AI models improve before launch.
iOS 27: What to expect
Beyond photo editing, Apple’s upcoming software updates are expected to focus on improving performance, refining the Siri assistant and expanding AI capabilities across its ecosystem. Here is what to expect:
Apple Intelligence
Apple is also expected to introduce additional AI-driven features, including: An AI-powered health assistant that could analyse user data and offer insights related to fitness and wellness. An AI-based search or “answer engine” designed to provide more conversational responses across services like Safari, Spotlight and Siri
AI-powered Siri
At WWDC 2025, Apple showcased a more capable version of Siri that could understand personal context from emails, messages and files, interact with on-screen content, and perform actions within apps without requiring users to open them. However, these features have reportedly been delayed due to performance and reliability issues, with rollout now expected to shift from earlier iOS 26 updates to iOS 27.
Apple has also partnered with Google to integrate a customised version of Gemini AI models into its ecosystem, which is likely to support the next phase of Siri’s development. As a result, WWDC 2026 could serve as the stage for Apple to showcase a more conversational, chatbot-like Siri, along with improved voice and text responses and deeper integration across apps and system-level functions.
Liquid Glass refinements
According to a previous report, a major redesign is not expected in iOS 27, but Apple may continue to refine the Liquid Glass interface introduced with iOS 26. The company could introduce more controls to adjust transparency and improve readability based on user feedback. This may include a system-wide option to fine-tune the Liquid Glass effect.
Support for new hardware categories
iOS 27 is also expected to prepare the groundwork for upcoming hardware, including Apple’s first foldable iPhone, which is anticipated to launch this year. The device is likely to ship with the new iOS version and could bring interface adjustments or multitasking features tailored for larger or flexible displays, similar to iPadOS.
