An analysis of code inside the beta version of iOS 27 reveals five new features added to the camera app that point directly to next-gen capabilities. This discovery by iPhone 18 ProMacRumors forum user “pdfu” reveals advanced control and calibration tools that may be unveiled during the new iPhone launch this week.
On-screen manual exposure and focus tools
Key new features detected in the code include visual controls designed to provide greater technical precision:
- Histograms and Waveforms: This application enables real-time exposure monitoring. Histograms evaluate the balance of highlights and shadows, while waveforms distribute this information based on the image’s spatial position in the frame.
- Focus peaking and overexposure warnings: The system will highlight areas of focus with colored outlines and warn of overexposed areas in the preview using diagonal stripes, solid colors, flashes, or grid patterns.
- Manual focus control: Implemented a manual focus lock adjustment function similar to that in Final Cut Camera. Based on the number of lines of code, this feature will… Available only on devices running iOS 27 or later. Excludes existing models.
- Timed Continuous Shooting: The timer feature allows you to take multiple photos in a row by immediately restarting the countdown without waiting for each photo to save.
Variable aperture image correction
The most significant discovery at the hardware level is a system for aperture-dependent image correction. The code for iOS 27 reveals an algorithm designed to adjust lens aberrations and optical corrections based on the aperture used, which combines up to four reference points to make the results more uniform. This software architecture supports reports that the iPhone 18 Pro will have a variable aperture main camera.
While these features aren’t yet enabled in the current developer beta, and Apple will likely preserve their availability, they represent an approximation of the manual controls typical in professional photography in the system’s native apps.
