Apple’s Image Playground, the iOS tool that lets users generate pictures from photos or prompts, has drawn criticism for producing awkward avatars and low‑quality art. The feature arrived with Apple Intelligence in 2024 but lagged behind rivals, prompting many to dismiss it as a novelty rather than a useful app.

Bloomberg’s Power On newsletter reports that the upcoming iOS 27 release will feed Image Playground with upgraded Apple Foundation Models, which incorporate distilled versions of Google’s Gemini. Gemini’s strength in image synthesis should give the app a noticeable performance lift, though analysts expect Apple’s output to remain a step behind leading third‑party generators.

Apple plans to let users plug in external models via a new API, offering a path to higher fidelity results while keeping core processing on‑device or in private cloud servers powered by renewable energy. Even with the boost, the tool will likely stay a playful side‑feature rather than a serious creative suite.