April 29, 2026, 12:49 pm | Read time: 3 minutes
Apple Intelligence aims to significantly enhance the iPhone experience through AI-powered features. So far, the added value of Visual Intelligence, writing tools, and Image Playground has been limited. However, with the “Clean Up” tool for sprucing up images in the Photos app, Apple has successfully mimicked Google’s excellent Magic Eraser. Yet, the functionality remains quite limited–this is set to change.
New Editing Features in the Photos App
As reported by “Bloomberg,” Apple is working on three new ways for users to edit images on iPhone, Mac, and iPad. Like the Clean Up tool, these will appear in the classic editing mode in the Photos app. An overview of the new features:
- Extend: “Extend” allows users to enlarge the image section afterward. The system automatically adds missing image areas, such as when a photo is newly cropped. The extension is done through generated content that is meant to match the existing motif.
- Enhance: “Enhance” makes automatic adjustments to colors, brightness, and other image settings. The function is similar to existing automatic optimizations but uses improved analysis methods.
- Reframe: The “Reframe” function is particularly aimed at so-called spatial photos. It allows the perspective of an image to be changed after it is taken, enabling a subsequent adjustment of the image composition.
Currently, Apple Intelligence in the Photos app on Apple devices is still limited to the Clean Up function. This can remove unwanted objects from images and fill the resulting gaps. In practice, however, it only works under truly optimal conditions, such as with smaller objects against uniform backgrounds. The tool has been available since 2024 but has not received any significant updates since then.
Development Not Yet Complete
According to the report, the new photo features for Apple devices are still in development. Especially “Extend” and “Reframe,” which require a deep understanding of image geometry and content, may appear later or with reduced functionality.
Also interesting: iPhone 18 to get completely new camera
The new features are expected to be part of iOS 27, iPadOS 27, and macOS 27 and are likely to be introduced during the keynote at the WWDC 2026 developer conference. The event takes place on June 8.
It Can Only Get Better
“As an iPhone user, I had been waiting for months for Apple Intelligence with the ‘Clean Up’ tool to finally come to Europe. During a vacation in Turkey, I briefly had access to it, which only fueled my anticipation. When Apple finally introduced the image editing function here, however, disappointment quickly set in: Is that all there is?
I was familiar with Google’s Magic Eraser and had a basis for comparison–and what can I say: The Magic Eraser wipes the floor with Apple’s Clean Up. Google’s rival not only recognizes objects better and removes them completely. The gap-filling also works worlds more reliably. Google’s tool recognizes the context and tries to preserve individual elements. A prime example: If you remove a smartphone from a hand with Magic Eraser, the hand remains intact. Clean Up, on the other hand, pulls colors and textures into the resulting gap, distorting the image.
Now that Apple is building Gemini-based Foundation Models in cooperation with Google, the image editing tools can only get better. But it’s really time to make Apple Intelligence a value for users.”