Apple is developing a system called “Apple Reference Image” designed to verify whether a photograph was captured using an iPhone camera. The feature was identified in the code of the iOS 27 beta 5, according to a report from 9to5Mac.
The system is expected to work similarly to the C2PA Content Credentials provenance standard. This standard has been introduced into hardware by camera companies including Canon, Nikon, Sony, FujiFilm, and Leica, according to one report, and is supported by Google’s Pixel 10 phone cameras.
How the authentication process works
To authenticate a photo, users must tap a Reference badge on the photograph. This process requires photographs to be taken using a new “Reference” option within the iPhone Camera app to include the necessary provenance information for authentication.
The authentication process sends the raw image, sensor signatures, capture time frame, and unique hardware identifiers to Apple’s Private Cloud Compute (PCC) servers. The PCC servers then return an authenticated version of the photo with a uniquely assigned ID.
Apple does not access the raw photo itself during the authentication process. However, the company may receive sensor data to prevent images from compromised sensors from being authenticated or to retroactively revoke authentication on images associated with such sensors.
Implementation and industry context
If rolled out, the feature can be enabled via Settings > Camera > Reference Image > Reference Mode. The feature will be turned off by default, according to one report, and it may also cover uncropped footage, according to one report.
The development comes as other tech entities implement AI identification tools. Google has implemented SynthID technology to add invisible digital watermarks to media, a system also adopted by OpenAI. Additionally, Meta uses a system to label AI-generated content on Facebook, Instagram, and Threads, according to one report.
Labeling human-made works may be easier than identifying and labeling AI-generated content.
IOS 27 is expected to be released in the fall, according to one report.
