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Apple iOS 27 and macOS 27 take AI image editing to a new level

Philipp Briel
Philipp Briel · 4 min. read

With iOS 27 and macOS 27, Apple is apparently planning a major step in the field of artificial intelligence and is focusing more on the Photos app in particular. New AI-supported image editing functions will automatically enhance, improve and realign the perspective of photos. At the same time, Apple is working on a much more powerful version of Siri with a chatbot character and deep system integration. The aim is to catch up again in the area of Edge AI and position itself more clearly against Android competitors.

  • New “Apple Intelligence Tools” to enhance, improve and realign photos
  • AI image processing runs mainly on the device for more data protection
  • New Siri app with Gemini-based AI and third-party extensions planned
  • Dynamic Island and Spotlight search could merge more closely with Siri in future

Apple iOS 27 AI image editing significantly expands the Photos app

A new area called “Apple Intelligence Tools” within the Photos app is apparently at the heart of the upcoming updates. With iOS 27 and macOS 27, Apple wants to integrate three new functions there: Extend, Enhance and Reframe. These are intended to work directly on the device with the help of on-device AI and make image editing much more intuitive.

The “Extend” function is designed to intelligently add missing image areas. For example, if you have a photo of a building that was taken too close, AI can automatically extend the surrounding area. Users simply drag the edge of the image and the software adds suitable content such as the sky, landscape or parts of the building. This principle is reminiscent of generative fill functions from professional image editing programs, but here it is integrated directly into Apple’s standard Photos app system-wide.

“Enhance” focuses on classic optimizations such as light, colors and image quality. The AI automatically analyzes the photo and makes appropriate corrections without the need to manually adjust sliders. This function should be particularly relevant for everyday photos, as it enables quick improvements without additional effort.

With “Reframe”, Apple is primarily addressing spatial photos, i.e. images with depth information for a 3D-like effect. Perspectives can be changed retrospectively, which seems to make strategic sense, especially in connection with Vision Pro and spatial media.

New Siri in iOS 27 becomes the central AI assistant in the Apple ecosystem

Alongside image editing, Apple is apparently also planning a complete reorientation of Siri. The new version should function much more like a modern chatbot and be based on a more advanced Gemini-based model architecture. According to reports, work is already underway internally on a more powerful Foundation Models version that will compete with current top models.

The main new feature is deeper system integration. Siri will no longer only be able to execute voice commands, but will also be able to analyze personal data, summarize content, upload files, generate images and directly control app actions. Several combined commands within a single request will also be possible.

Apple is also apparently working on an independent Siri app that will serve as a central overview for all previous AI conversations. Extensions from third-party providers such as ChatGPT or Claude could also be integrated there in future. A new “Extensions” section in the App Store is intended to simplify this integration.

The interface is also changing: Siri could be more closely integrated into Dynamic Island in the future and even replace the classic Spotlight search in the long term. This would make the AI much more integrated into the daily use of the iPhone, iPad and Mac.

Conclusion

With iOS 27 and macOS 27, Apple appears to be pursuing a much greater focus on AI than initially expected. The new AI image processing in the Photos app in particular could become a strong argument against Android devices if Extend, Enhance and Reframe appear as planned. The new Siri also points to a fundamental change in strategy. However, as some functions are still under development according to current reports, delays in the final rollout are still possible.