Apple has announced a major overhaul of Image Playground, introducing a new generative model capable of photorealistic image creation alongside expanded editing and sharing capabilities.
The updated app is powered by a new generative model that runs on Private Cloud Compute, enabling it to produce high-quality images in virtually any style, including photorealistic output for the first time. All generated images will automatically carry a hidden SynthID watermark to identify them as AI-generated.
Image Playground now supports photo-based editing in addition to creation. Users can describe changes they want to make to an existing image, or use touch gestures such as tapping, circling, or brushing to highlight specific objects and move or resize them. Photos can also be transformed into different styles using a text description, and people from a user’s photo library can be included in generated images.
The experience extends further into iOS with new output destinations. In addition to Messages, generated images can now be used as Lock Screen wallpapers and Contact Posters. Users can also choose an aspect ratio when creating images, such as landscape for a website header or portrait for a flyer.
Developers will have access to the new capabilities through the Image Playground API, allowing third-party apps to integrate photorealistic generation and editing features directly.
Popular Stories
WWDC 2026 Apple Event Live Keynote Coverage: iOS 27, Revamped Siri, and More
Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) starts today with the traditional keynote kicking things off at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time. MacRumors is on hand for the event and we’ll be sharing details and our thoughts throughout the day. We’re expecting to see a number of software-related announcements today, headlined by a reset on Apple’s push into AI that should see a significant overhaul…
Apple Says CarPlay Ultra is Coming to These Vehicle Brands
Last year, Apple launched CarPlay Ultra, the long-awaited next-generation version of its CarPlay software system for vehicles. Nearly a year later, CarPlay Ultra is still limited to Aston Martin’s latest luxury vehicles, but that should change fairly soon. In May 2025, Apple said many other vehicle brands planned to offer CarPlay Ultra, including Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis. CarPlay Ultra…
iOS 27 Notifications Will Slide in From Left Side of Your iPhone’s Screen
Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman today revealed another iOS 27 change: notifications will slide in from the left side of the screen instead of from the top. In addition, accessing Notification Center on iOS 27 will require swiping down on the top-left corner of the screen. If you swipe down on the Dynamic Island area, a new “Search or Ask” interface tied to the revamped Siri will appear, instead of…