Apple introduced iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max with Apple Reference Image — an opt-in camera mode for verifiable photography.
The Main camera sensor signs every pixel at capture. Signed sensor data is developed by Private Cloud Compute into an unalterable reference image viewable alongside the main photo in Photos, like a digital negative.
APIs in iOS 27, iPadOS 27, and macOS 27 enable third-party apps to display reference images.
Apple Reference Image complements image metadata and upcoming SynthID support for AI-generated/edited image identification. Capture unavailable at launch in EU and China due to regulatory requirements; EU users can still develop and view references on iOS 27 devices.