Apple finally bringing “smart” photo editing to iPhone — but warns it may not go smoothly

According to Mark Gurman from Bloomberg, Apple is preparing a major overhaul of its built-in photo editor across iPhone, iPad, and Mac. In iOS 27, iPadOS 27, and macOS 27 — expected this fall — the Photos app will gain a new section called Apple Intelligence Tools with three key features.

Extend — expands images beyond their original frame using generative AI. For example, you can take a close-up of a landmark and extend it to include the surrounding scene. The boundaries are adjusted with simple gestures — just drag the edges of the photo.

Enhance — automatically improves image quality, including color, lighting, and sharpness. One tap, and the AI handles the adjustments.

Reframe — changes perspective in spatial photos that capture depth, allowing for a more immersive, 3D-like effect.

All three tools run on-device without sending images to external servers — Apple is clearly prioritizing privacy. It’s a direct response to Samsung and Google, which have offered similar features for some time.

There’s a catch: according to sources, Extend and Reframe are “not progressing smoothly” and are showing inconsistent results in internal testing. Apple may delay or scale back these features before release. It wouldn’t be the first time — Clean Up, the only current AI tool in Photos, still lags behind competitors more than a year after launch.

The official reveal of iOS 27 is expected at WWDC 2026 on June 8.

Do you actually need AI tools in your default photo editor — or are you fine without them? Share your thoughts in the comments.