In a world full of AI missteps, Apple wants you to trust what your iPhone captures.
The company announced Wednesday during its Surprise and Shine event that it is introducing Apple Reference Image, a feature that can prove whether images taken with the iPhone 18 Pro are authentic.
“This is extremely important for photojournalists and photographers,” the company said.
When a photo is taken, the main camera’s sensor also captures signed sensor data, which Apple’s private cloud computing service converts into an “immutable image” that can be viewed in the Photos app. You can then compare the reference image to other versions of the photo to determine if changes have been made. Apple likens reference images to “digital negatives.”
Reference images will initially only be visible in the Photos app, but the company is making an API available for developers to integrate this feature into their own apps.
Apple also said it will support the SynthID standard to help people determine whether an image was created by AI or altered.
Apple Reference Image is one of several new features and upgrades to the company’s camera-focused hardware and software.
The company said the iPhone 18 Pro includes its biggest camera improvements in years. One upgrade that’s sure to grab the attention of photographers is the variable aperture on the new 48-megapixel Fusion main camera. The aperture controls the amount of light that enters the lens. This new main camera features a variable aperture, giving users more control over how much light comes in and what the final image looks like. It should be especially useful for people who like to take photos at night.
To accomplish this, Apple said it developed a system of six laser-cut blades, each thinner than a human hair and made of a special polymer composite material, a new rotor mechanism to control movement, and a custom-designed lens.
If you make a purchase through links in our articles, we may earn a small commission. This does not affect editorial independence.
