What is Reference Image, Apple’s new feature to verify photos on iPhone 18 Pro?

Apple has introduced a new feature called Apple Reference Image in its latest iPhone 18 Pro models, designed to help users distinguish real photos from AI-generated ones. The feature, which is part of the iOS 27 operating system, works by capturing a 'digital negative' or reference image alongside the regular photo. This reference image is a signed version of the sensor data, which cannot be altered.

Users can view both the reference image and the regular photo in the Photos app. Apple has also made APIs for the feature available in iOS, iPadOS, and macOS 27, allowing third-party apps to access Reference Images. This feature, along with support for Google DeepMind’s SynthID watermarking standard, represents a multi-layered approach to image authenticity.

However, the feature will not be available in certain markets such as China and the EU due to regulatory requirements.