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The Photos app is one of a handful of apps that Apple paid extra attention to in iOS 27. It has multiple improvements to performance, and several quality-of-life upgrades. There are also new AI photo editing tools that use Apple Intelligence. AI Tools There is a set of AI photo editing tools in the ‌Photos‌ app, accessible by tapping on the icon featuring three sliders, and then selecting the ‌Apple Intelligence‌ icon labeled "Tools." Clean Up Clean Up uses new AI models, and it's better at removing objects. The original version of Clean Up was best for small items with little complexity in the surrounding area, but now it is able to do more work reconstructing backgrounds with generative AI. There are now three options for object removal. Fast works more quickly and can still be used for simple edits, while High Quality works better for more detailed scenes. Auto lets the ‌Photos‌ app decide which option is best. Extend Extend lets you change the crop of an image, expanding the borders around content to zoom out a bit or change the photo's composition. It uses generative AI to fill in missing areas, and you can adjust the borders with pinch gestures. Apple also uses the Extend feature for expanding iPhone Lock Screen wallpapers that don't quite fit the display. Reframe Reframe can change the perspective of the photo, making adjustments to the angle of a person or object. It draws on the spatial information the iPhone gathers when a photo is taken, and combines it with AI to change the angle of the camera in post-processing. The spatial data is used for adjusting the subject of the image, and then AI fills in any pixels that are missing. Reframe uses touch and drag gestures to adjust perspective, and two fingers for panning, zooming, or rotating an image to get the right angle. Image Playground While not part of the ‌Photos‌ app, the Image Playground app can be used to make photorealistic edits to your image. If you have a photo of a friend and want to add a hat or an accessory that looks real, you can do so with ‌Image Playground‌. You can select specific areas in an image to modify and make AI edits using natural language, plus there's an option to combine images. ‌Image Playground‌ can be used for free, but there will be daily caps, with extra usage available through iCloud+ plans. Videos to Photos You can now save a frame of a video as an individual photo. Metadata Apple now lets you add keywords and star ratings to photos and videos in the ‌Photos‌ app. You can rate images with one to five stars and then filter images by rating. Album Changes Apple improved album organization in ‌iOS 27‌ and added new features for Shared Albums, including an option for Android and Windows users to contribute to ‌iCloud‌ albums. * Shared Albums can be filtered by photos or videos. * It's easier to save images from Shared Albums. * You can set Shared Albums to expire after 30 days, which is useful for sharing photos without having a permanent album. * It's easier to invite people to Shared Albums with a dedicated "Create Shared Album" option in any album menu. * You can create a link for people to upload images to a Shared Album, and there are new permissions so you can require explicit access to be granted. * Shared Albums have a recent activity log. * You can react to images in Shared Albums with any emoji. Slideshows You can create a slideshow from any album or collection of images in the ‌Photos‌ app instead of being limited to what's in the Memories section. Just tap into an album, tap the icon in the upper right of the display, and choose "Start Slideshow." Alternatively, select several photos and then follow the same steps from the main Library interface. Slideshows can be customized with transition styles, slide duration, and background music. The resulting file can be shared on social media, and saved as a video. Utilities There are two new Utilities folders in the ‌Photos‌ app. Captured by Me includes all of the images that you've taken from the Camera app on your current or past iPhone, while Identity Documents aggregates pictures of passports, licenses, and similar documents. iCloud In the ‌Photos‌ section of the Settings app, there's a "Sync Immediately" option that lets you prioritize immediate ‌iCloud‌ uploads for the day. With the setting enabled, iCloud Photos will sync as soon as new images enter the ‌Photos‌ Library instead of holding uploads to save battery. Full-resolution photos and videos can be added to ‌iCloud‌ Shared Albums, with support for all common photo and video formats. Other Changes * You can select a specific pet to use with the Photo Shuffle wallpaper. * Search returns more pleasing photos of people and pets in Top Results. * The Collections tab is faster to render. * New captures from the Camera app load quicker in ‌Photos‌. * You can include images of yourself in Photo Shuffle. * A "Show Selected" option in the Library shows you all of the photos you have checked so you can modify metadata. Compatibility The AI photo editing tools are available on devices that support ‌Apple Intelligence‌, which includes the iPhone 15 Pro and later. Performance and organizational tools are available on devices that run ‌iOS 27‌, which includes the iPhone 11 and later.Related Roundups: iOS 27, iPadOS 27Tag: Photos This article, "What's New in the iOS 27 Photos App" first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums

iOS 27 and iPadOS 27 include a rebranded Connectivity Assist feature that can help your iPhone stay connected to the internet. Connectivity Assist can be found in the Settings app under Wi-Fi on iOS 27 and iPadOS 27. Apple's description of the feature says it lets you "use cellular data in addition to Wi-Fi for a more reliable internet connection." A support document on Apple's website confirms that Connectivity Assist is the new name used on iOS 27 and iPadOS 27 for the feature previously known as Wi-Fi Assist, but it is unclear if there are any functionality changes. On iOS 26 and earlier, Wi-Fi Assist automatically switches the device to cellular data when Wi-Fi connectivity is poor. Some early iOS 27 beta testers have speculated that Connectivity Assist seems to go further by offering combined Wi-Fi and cellular connectivity when it is active, but it is unclear if that is accurate. On the iOS 27 beta, Flighty developer Ryan Jones and others have received a new "Intelligent Connectivity" notification when Connectivity Assist is active. It is possible that the feature now kicks in more aggressively. On a related note, Apple said iOS 27 offers "smoother network transitions" in general. "Your iPhone more seamlessly chooses the best available Wi‑Fi or cellular connection, so whether you're getting directions as you leave home or taking a FaceTime call as you step off a plane, you'll stay connected," the company explained.Related Roundups: iOS 27, iPadOS 27 This article, "iOS 27's Wi-Fi Settings Include Rebranded 'Connectivity Assist' Feature" first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums

Apple today shared a new ad highlighting AirPods Pro 3 Active Noise Cancellation. The ad stars Vini Jr., a Brazilian professional footballer who plays for Real Madrid and the Brazil national team. In the spot, he dances through the streets to music only he can hear. Apple marketing chief Greg Joswiak shared the video on social media, and a short version is also on Apple's AirPods Pro 3 website. Apple says the ‌AirPods Pro 3‌ have the "world's best in-ear Active Noise Cancellation" based on a July 2025 evaluation in accordance with IEC 60268–24 as compared with best-selling commercially available wireless in-ear headphones. The ‌AirPods Pro 3‌ remove up to 2x more noise than the AirPods Pro 2, and up to 4x more than the original AirPods Pro. The ‌AirPods Pro 3‌ are priced at $249, and along with Active Noise Cancellation, the earbuds feature spatial audio, heart rate sensing, hearing aid functionality, Live Translation, and more.Related Roundup: AirPods Pro 3Tags: AirPods Pro 3, Apple AdsBuyer's Guide: AirPods Pro (Neutral)Related Forum: AirPods This article, "Apple Touts 'World's Best' AirPods Pro 3 Noise Cancellation in New Vini Jr. Ad" first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums

Apple shares have lost roughly $25 per share this week following the company's WWDC 2026 keynote, though a wave of upward analyst price target revisions suggests Wall Street's longer-term view of Apple remains constructive. According to Tech Times, AAPL hit an all-time intraday high of around $317.40 on June 8 during the unveiling of Siri AI, before reversing to close at $301.54, down 1.89%. The slide continued over the following two days, with shares falling to around $290.55 by the close of June 10. The stock is trading around $292 as of writing. The drop has been attributed in part to mixed investor reaction to ‌Siri‌ AI. ‌Siri‌ AI will not launch on iPhone and iPad in the European Union due to compliance issues, and the feature faces a similarly delayed rollout in China due to regulatory hurdles. According to Yahoo Finance, Morgan Stanley estimates those two excluded markets together account for roughly 35% of trailing 12-month iPhone shipments. The analyst community's response to this year's WWDC has been broadly positive, with several firms raising their price targets. TheStreet reports that TD Cowen raised its Apple price target to $350 from $335, Maxim Group raised its target to $350 from $310, and Morgan Stanley raised its target to $360, all maintaining Buy or Overweight ratings. JPMorgan reiterated its Overweight rating with a $325 price target, while Jefferies held its target at $299.88. According to Investing.com, Bernstein reiterated an Outperform rating and a $350 price target, while UBS maintained a Neutral rating with a $296 target. Maxim Group increased its fiscal 2027 projections on the expectation that improvements in AI-related products will serve as a catalyst for both services and hardware sales. TradingKey characterized the post-WWDC selloff as a classic "buy-the-rumor, sell-the-news" reaction, noting that Apple's second quarter results of $111.2 billion in revenue and a $31 billion services all-time high remain unchanged by any of the WWDC announcements. The September iPhone event will be the next major test for investors and the first keynote under incoming CEO John Ternus.Related Roundup: WWDC 2026Tags: AAPL, WWDC 2026Related Forum: Apple, Inc and Tech Industry This article, "AAPL Stock Slides Following WWDC, But Analysts Broadly Raise Targets" first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums

United States Senators Chuck Grassley and Amy Klobuchar this week reintroduced the American Innovation and Choice Online Act (AICOA) that targets major tech companies like Apple, and Apple is not happy to see it back. The bipartisan bill is reminiscent of the Digital Markets Act in the European Union, banning large platforms from favoring their own products or services, limiting competitors' access to key platform features, locking users into default settings, and more. It is a reworked version of the same bill that did not reach a floor vote back in 2022. In a statement to MacRumors, Apple said AICOA will undermine privacy, security, and child safety protections, while also making it more difficult to do business in the U.S. We strongly disagree with the Senate's consideration of European-style regulation that would hamper innovation and force changes consumers never asked for, while undermining the privacy, security and child safety protections they rely on every day. Apple is proud to be an engine of innovation, job creation, and economic growth in the U.S., where some of the world's most innovative companies have designed technology that has changed the world. Importing Europe's failed policies will not increase competition -- it will make it more difficult to do business right here at home. AICOA aims to "restore online competition and affordability" by preventing digital platforms from "abusing their market power to stifle competition, undercut online businesses and raise prices for American consumers." It would permit the Department of Justice, Federal Trade Commission, and state attorneys general to challenge online platforms for exclusionary conduct that harms competition. It is applicable to platforms that have at least $175 billion in average annual gross revenue and reach 34 percent of U.S. subscriber households or 34 percent of U.S. monthly active users over the age of 12. Apple would be subject to the restrictions should AICOA pass. Companies are barred from the following under the current AICOA wording: * Unfairly favoring their own products or services. * Misusing nonpublic business-user data to copy and compete against small businesses. * Unfairly limiting competitors' access to key platform features. * Blocking business users from accessing or moving their own data from one digital platform to another. * Retaliating against users or business users who raise legal concerns. * Unfairly enforcing terms of service in ways that harm competition. * Conditioning companies' access to the platform, or product placement on the platform, on purchase or use of unrelated services. * Locking users into default settings. * Skewing ranking or presentation against similarly situated business users. Apple says AICOA would have the same impact as the Digital Markets Act, harming innovation, weakening privacy protections, and delaying new product features. Most recently, Apple said it would not be able to bring Siri AI to the European Union when iOS 27 launches because of an inability to reach an agreement with the European Commission on the DMA's interoperability rules. Like the DMA, AICOA would allow for third-party app marketplaces and alternative payment methods, which Apple maintains will undermine the user protections of the App Store. Apple also says the AICOA rules mandating open platform access would give the most sensitive user data to any company that wants it. Bill sponsors say AICOA was written to "preserve safety, privacy, intellectual property, national security and constitutional protections," and that it includes language to ensure covered platforms are able to prevent fraud and protect safety, user privacy, nonpublic data, or platform security. Along with Apple, AICOA would impact Google, Amazon, and Meta. It is endorsed by Mozilla, Proton, DuckDuckGo, Yelp, and Y Combinator, among others. Senators Josh Hawley, Dick Durbin, Sheldon Whitehouse, and Cory Booker are co-sponsors.Tags: act, Apple Antitrust, App Store This article, "Apple Criticizes U.S. Antitrust Bill That Targets the App Store" first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums

A new report from TrendForce claims Apple's iPhone production surged 19.7% year-over-year in the first quarter of 2026, even as the broader global smartphone market contracted 1.7% over the same period. According to TrendForce, Apple produced approximately 60.2 million iPhone units in the first quarter, placing it second among global smartphone brands. Samsung retained the top spot with approximately 62.6 million units, a 2.3% year-over-year increase. TrendForce attributes Apple's strong output partly to the launch of the iPhone 17e, in addition to ongoing production ramp-up for the broader iPhone 17 lineup. The figures reflect Apple's relative resilience in a market increasingly burdened by rising memory component costs. TrendForce says Apple is better positioned than most competitors to absorb those higher costs without sacrificing profitability, and suggests the company is more likely to prioritize market share growth during the current downturn as it lays the groundwork for its expanding software and services business. Apple is one of the few major smartphone brands that has not raised prices in response to the memory price surge. The picture is considerably grimmer elsewhere. Chinese brands Oppo, Xiaomi, and Vivo ranked third through fifth globally with 29.5 million, 26 million, and 22 million units respectively, with TrendForce warning that all three face significant uncertainty around their 2026 production plans as surging memory costs weigh on profitability. Transsion, which ranked sixth at approximately 19.8 million units, is said to be particularly exposed given its heavy concentration in entry-level and budget segments where margins are already thin. Looking ahead, TrendForce forecasts global smartphone production will decline approximately 16.2% year-over-year to 1.051 billion units across 2026. The firm warns that figure could worsen if memory prices remain elevated and brands are forced to pass costs on to consumers through repeated retail price increases.Tag: TrendForce This article, "Apple Bucks Smartphone Slump With Production Surge" first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums

In macOS 27 Golden Gate, Apple has removed many of the menu item icons that are so prevalent throughout macOS 26 Tahoe, as spotted by Nikita "Tonsky" Prokopov (via Daring Fireball). The developer shared before-and-after screenshots on Mastodon to evidence the reversal. Menu item icons in macOS 26 (left) vs. macOS 27 (image: Nikita Prokopov) Tahoe was the first version of macOS to place a small icon next to nearly every entry in the menu bar across Apple's apps, but the change drew swift criticism from designers and developers. Many of the icons are inconsistent and often difficult to understand on their own, with different Apple apps showing different icons for the same menu items. The third-party developer pushback was strong enough that some even adopted open-source code provided by NetNewsWire's Brent Simmons to switch the icons off by default. In Golden Gate though, they're gone – or only used where genuinely useful. Apple has also revised its Human Interface Guidelines to tell developers to use menu item icons "sparingly and with purpose," reserving them for common actions, file system locations, connected devices, and similar cases. macOS 27 is currently in developer beta, with a public beta to arrive next month, followed by a general release in the fall.Related Roundups: macOS Tahoe, macOS Golden GateRelated Forum: macOS Tahoe This article, "macOS 27 Golden Gate Reverses a Divisive Tahoe Design Choice" first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums

Apple and leaker Jon Prosser have jointly asked a federal court to set aside the default judgment entered against him last October, with Prosser agreeing to hand over documents he had thus far failed to fully produce. Apple filed suit against Prosser and Michael Ramacciotti in July 2025, alleging misappropriation of trade secrets after Prosser published videos showing recreated renderings of iOS 26's Liquid Glass design months before Apple's announcement. According to the complaint, Ramacciotti secretly accessed the iPhone of Apple software engineer Ethan Lipnik and showed Prosser a pre-release build of the software in exchange for payment. Lipnik was subsequently fired. Prosser missed his deadline to formally respond to the complaint, prompting Apple's lawyers to file a request for a default judgment. The court entered the default in October 2025, after which Prosser told The Verge he had "been in active communications with Apple since the beginning stages of this case." The situation did not improve significantly in the months that followed. A joint status report filed in April showed Prosser was still failing to comply with discovery, prompting Apple to seek a court order to compel him. The filing noted that while Prosser had provided some responsive materials, he had failed to fully respond to certain requests and had not responded at all to others. This stood in contrast to Ramacciotti, who allowed Apple to forensically review an additional device, agreed to supplement his interrogatory responses, and offered to sit for a follow-up deposition, with Apple and Ramacciotti having been informally discussing a potential settlement since at least October. Prosser did not retain legal counsel until April 14, 2026. According to the joint stipulation filed June 9, Apple served Prosser with subpoenas in January 2026 seeking documents and a deposition related to its claims against Ramacciotti, but Prosser had not fully responded to the document subpoena and had not sat for a deposition. As part of the agreement, Prosser committed to producing all materials responsive to Apple's document subpoena by June 9, 2026, and to sit for a deposition by no later than June 16, 2026. Apple stated it believes setting aside the default is "the most efficient way to advance this case without further delay." The stipulation still requires approval from the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. If approved, Prosser would have ten days from the date of the order to file a responsive pleading to Apple's complaint, giving him a formal opportunity to contest the allegations for the first time.Related Roundups: iOS 26, iPadOS 26Tags: Jon Prosser, Apple LawsuitsRelated Forum: iOS 26 This article, "Apple Agrees to Let Jon Prosser Formally Contest iOS 26 Leak Lawsuit" first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums