Apple is reportedly preparing to introduce a new modular watch face as part of its upcoming watchOS 27 update, according to a report by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Every year, Apple refreshes its smartwatch lineup with new faces, and this year's release, code-named Orchid, is set to bring a simplified take on the Modular Ultra design.
New Modular Watch Face Details
The new face retains the large clock display from the Ultra version but removes the central complication and bezel-based information. Instead, it features a row of three smaller complications beneath the time, creating a cleaner, less dense layout. This design appears aimed at making the modular experience more approachable for users of standard Apple Watch Series models while still offering useful data at a glance.
Expanding Watch Face Options
Apple has consistently added fresh faces to its ecosystem, with recent examples including Wayfinder, Modular Ultra, Waypoint for the Apple Watch Ultra, and Exactograph for the broader lineup. The new modular face continues this tradition, offering customization while balancing simplicity.
Separately, Apple is also preparing its annual Pride watch face update. This year's version, called Pride Luminance, will debut later this month as part of watchOS 26.5, ahead of the watchOS 27 release.
AI-Powered Photo Editing Tools in iOS 27
Apple may finally give iOS 27's Photos app the AI editing tools. Apple is bringing a suite of AI-powered photo editing tools to iOS 27, iPadOS 27, and macOS 27 this fall, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. The new features—Extend, Enhance, and Reframe—will join the existing Clean Up tool in a dedicated "Apple Intelligence Tools" section inside the Photos app editor.
How Each Tool Works
Each tool handles something different. Extend generates new image content beyond the original frame, letting you expand a photo's edges with a pinch gesture. Enhance automatically adjusts color, lighting, and overall image quality. Reframe is built for spatial photos—the 3D format used with Apple Vision Pro—and lets you shift a shot's perspective after it's already been taken. All processing happens on-device and takes just a few seconds.
Comparison with Competitors
Google has offered Magic Eraser, Photo Unblur, and generative image expansion on Pixel devices for years now. Samsung, meanwhile, has leaned heavily on AI editing to differentiate its Galaxy lineup even when the cameras themselves barely change. Photoshop has had photo extension for nearly three years. Apple, by comparison, still only has Clean Up—and that tool has struggled since launch, frequently producing distorted fills where a removed object used to be.
