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Between President Trump's tariffs, global instability, and historic demand for RAM, the past year has had an outsized influence on tech prices. It seems that just about every major company has announced price hikes recently, from laptop manufacturers like Acer and Dell to gaming companies like Sony and Nintendo. It's an odd turn of events: In the past, you only needed to wait for a new piece of tech to get cheaper. But now, if you didn't buy a Switch or PlayStation at launch, you'll pay more for one today.

Despite these increases, Apple has largely avoided passing higher costs on to consumers. It has some tricks up its sleeve, of course: The company eliminated some cheaper device tiers, so the cost of entry for products like the Mac mini and MacBook Air technically increased, but it did so without actually raising prices. Over the past year, not only have Apple device prices stayed the same, the company has also released new low-cost options like the MacBook Neo, which offers a full Mac experience for the cost of an iPhone 16. (Perhaps there are some perks to being a $4 trillion company.)

Sadly, this isn't a story about how Apple is continuing to keep prices stable. On Wednesday night, The Wall Street Journal published an exclusive, sharing news direct from outgoing Apple CEO Tim Cook. "Unfortunately, price increases are unavoidable," Cook told the newspaper. "We're doing our best to mitigate the huge increases that are being passed to us, and we've been trying to shield our customers from the increases, but the situation has become unsustainable." In other words, Apple products are about to get more expensive.

Cook went on to say that both RAM and storage chip shortages are driving factors in these issues: "There's less supply at a time when consumers want devices and the memory guys are passing along huge price increases." In a rather ominous aside, he added, "I've never seen anything like it in any area in over 40 years."

There are few details in the piece outside of the quotes from Cook. We don't know which products are going up in price, nor exactly when. The Wall Street Journal predicts that Apple will need to "substantially" increase prices if its goal is to maintain its current profits to cushion the impact from more expensive RAM and CPUs. Regardless, visit Apple's online store and take note of the MSRPs you see: They'll likely never be lower than they are right now.

Should you buy Apple devices now to beat the price increase?

Choosing when to buy tech is a bit like judging the stock market. You can make your best guess and hope you're getting the lowest price, but tomorrow, a massive sale could make your deal look paltry by comparison. Or you could wait, and prices could creep higher. There are no guarantees anymore.

That said, we can make some educated guesses. Tim Cook is calculated, and while he may be passing the torch to John Ternus soon enough, he wants to ensure Apple's valuation only continues to grow. As such, my guess is these price hikes are not immanent; rather, they likely will kick off with Apple's next hardware release cycle, which the company will almost certainly announce in the fall. That could mean the iPhone 18 will cost more than the iPhone 17, or the Apple Watch Series 12 will cost more than the Series 11. The "iPhone Fold" has no successor to compare it to, but perhaps it, too, will cost more than Apple originally intended. If that's the plan, Wall Street (as well as the rest of us) will no longer be surprised when the new products cost more than last year's.

If you're set on buying a new Apple device as soon as it's announced, you'll need to anticipate paying more. But if your goal is to get a device at the best possible price, I'd recommend buying sooner rather than later. While it seems probable that Apple won't raise prices before the fall, it could also choose to implement hikes long before then. As such, I'd encourage you to choose the device you want rather than getting fixated on paying a certain price. Use price comparison tools to see what deals are out there. If it looks like a device is at a relatively low price, jump on it now. You can no longer trust that older devices will be cheaper once Apple releases its next crop of products; if the iPhone 18 costs $200 more than the iPhone 17, there won't be that usual market incentive to drop the price of the latter.

The timing here is actually good, at least: Next week is Amazon's Prime Day (which should be called Prime Week now), and there are already early Apple deals with considering. A great discount on AirPods Pro 3 came and went (at least at Amazon; you can still find them for $70 off at Best Buy), but you can still score solid deals on the AirPods 4, with and without active noise cancellation. It's worth keeping an eye out next week for any deals on Apple products, including Macs, iPads, and AirPods. Again, no guarantees on what will get discounted, but we know two things for sure: Amazon is having a sale, and Apple is planning on raising prices at some point. More so than usual, the timing of your purchase matters.


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Google's new Fitbit Air is officially HSA/FSA eligible for qualifying customers, giving you more ways to use your pre-tax health savings. But before you rush to check out, it helps to understand how HSA and FSA eligibility actually works for wearables—because for most devices, it's a little more complicated than it sounds.

How FSA and HSA eligibility works for wearables

Health Savings Accounts and Flexible Spending Accounts let you set aside pre-tax dollars to pay for qualified medical expenses. The IRS determines what counts as true medical expenses, and historically, fitness trackers and smartwatches haven't made the cut on their own. The IRS has ruled that devices of this type are generally used to promote "general health," not to treat or monitor a specific medical condition, which means they typically don't clear the bar for qualified medical expenses.

According to the FSA Store's eligibility list, a wearable device becomes eligible when it is necessary for treating or monitoring a specific medical condition, as opposed to just for general wellness. This is where a “Letter of Medical Necessity” comes in.

What is a Letter of Medical Necessity?

A Letter of Medical Necessity (LMN) is essentially a doctor's note that classifies a specific purchase as a qualified medical expense under IRS guidelines. To get one, your physician must certify that the device in question will be used to treat or monitor a legitimate medical condition, such as obesity, a heart condition, sleep apnea, or diabetes. Once you submit that LMN to your benefits administrator, your wearable purchase will most likely be approved for reimbursement.

When it comes to securing your LMN, you might not even need to make a doctor's appointment, thanks to certain third-party players like Truemed partnering with a number of health tech companies. You'll see the option to “Pay With Truemed” at checkout at Whoop, Coros, and Amazfit, to name a few. From there, you'll be asked a few questions about your health circumstances, and you’ll be matched with a provider to determine your eligibility. If you qualify, you’ll get an LMN that will allow you to use your HSA or FSA funds to complete your purchase.

How to use your HSA/FSA funds to buy a Fitbit Air (or any health tracker)

Once you've confirmed your eligibility—ideally with an LMN in hand—there are two main ways to use your pre-tax health dollars to purchase a wearable: paying directly with your FSA or HSA card at a qualifying retailer, or paying out of pocket and submitting for reimbursement afterward.

Option one: Pay directly with your FSA or HSA card

The simplest method is to use your FSA or HSA debit card at the point of sale, the same way you'd use any other credit card.

  1. Confirm the retailer accepts FSA/HSA payments. Major retailers like Amazon, Walmart, and Target accept FSA/HSA cards for eligible items, and the Google Store may accept them directly for the Fitbit Air, given its certified eligibility status. Specialty health retailers like FSA Store and HSA Store are also strong options, as everything they sell is pre-vetted for eligibility.

  2. Have your LMN ready. Even if you're paying directly with your card, your plan administrator may follow up and request documentation. Keep your LMN accessible.

  3. Swipe your card and save your receipt. The transaction may go through without any extra steps, but if your administrator later flags the purchase, your receipt and LMN are your proof.

Note: If your wearable isn't on a pre-approved eligibility list, your FSA card may be declined at the register even if you have a valid LMN. In that case, you can try option two.

Option two: Pay out of pocket, then submit for reimbursement

If your FSA card doesn't work at checkout—or if you'd rather buy from a retailer that doesn't support FSA/HSA payment—you can pay with any form of payment and request reimbursement from your plan administrator afterward.

  1. Purchase the device using a personal credit card or any other payment method, and keep your itemized receipt.

  2. Obtain your Letter of Medical Necessity if you haven't already. Your doctor will need to specify your diagnosis, explain why the device is medically necessary, and confirm it's being prescribed to treat or monitor your condition (not just for general wellness).

  3. Log in to your benefits portal or contact your plan administrator. Most FSA and HSA administrators have an online portal where you can submit reimbursement claims directly.

  4. Upload your documentation. You'll typically need to submit your itemized receipt and your LMN together. Some administrators may also ask for additional information about the device.

  5. Wait for approval and payment. Processing times vary by administrator, but most claims are reviewed within a few business days to a few weeks. If approved, you'll be reimbursed from your FSA or HSA balance via direct deposit or check.

If the Fitbit Air isn't your style, check out these other major brands offering HSA/FSA-eligible fitness trackers.

The bottom line

Even if a device is marketed as health-focused, that doesn't automatically make it FSA or HSA eligible. For most smartwatches and fitness trackers, eligibility hinges on your documentation, not just the device features appearing medically sound. Some administrators scrutinize wearable purchases more closely than others, and approval is never guaranteed. If you have a qualifying medical condition and a physician willing to support your case with an LMN, you may be in great shape to put those pre-tax dollars to work.

FSA funds are use-it-or-lose-it on an annual basis (with some grace period exceptions), so timing matters. If you're near the end of your plan year and have a balance to spend, a qualifying wearable purchase could be a smart way to put those funds to work before they expire. HSA funds, by contrast, roll over indefinitely, so there's less urgency (but the reimbursement process is the same).

Also worth noting: you can reimburse yourself from an HSA for a past eligible purchase at any time, even years later, as long as you have the receipt and documentation. That flexibility makes HSA accounts particularly useful for health tech purchases. Whatever you buy, keep meticulous records. The IRS expects you to be able to back up every HSA purchase you make, and good record-keeping is the simplest way to protect yourself if questions ever arise.


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If you passed on Nothing's unique over-ear headphones when they dipped in price last month, you have another chance, and this time, the deal is even better. The distinctive Nothing Headphone (a) and Nothing (1) headphone have both dropped to their lowest price yet on Amazon in an early Prime Day deal. The Nothing Headphone (a)  is down 24% to $151.05 (originally $199), and the Nothing (1) headphone is down 29%, dropping to $213.75 (originally $299).

While most headlines focus on the brand’s transparent retro-futuristic design, there's more going on here than aesthetics with these headphones. The Headphone (a), the brand’s more affordable model, has ANC up to 40 dB, a 40mm titanium-coated diaphragm, support for high-resolution LDAC audio, spatial audio with head-tracking, and the increasingly rare option to listen via Bluetooth, USB-C, or a traditional 3.5mm cable. The more premium Headphone (1) has 40mm dynamic drivers and adaptive ANC. 

Comfort gets mixed reviews; some reviewers found the earcups on the Nothing (a) a bit shallow for larger ears compared to the more luxuriously padded Headphone (1). Reviewers have also praised the physical controls, which use tactile buttons rather than finicky touch panels, as well as a volume roller and a paddle switch for track controls. The headphones support multipoint connectivity, adaptive ANC, transparency mode, and an IP52 rating to protect against dust and light rain.

Battery life is another standout; the headphones last up to 135 hours with ANC disabled and 80 hours with ANC on, which is impressive compared to many premium competitors. Surprisingly, despite being widely hailed as the more premium model, the pricier Nothing (1) has significantly reduced battery life, with up to 80 hours with ANC off, and 35 hours with ANC on. On the Nothing (a), a quick five-minute charge provides up to eight hours of listening time, while a full charge takes two hours. The Headphone (1) delivers up to five hours of playback from a five-minute top-up.

The Nothing (1) also adds an advanced 8-band EQ and six mics for calls, compared to the Nothing (a)’s adjustable EQ via the Nothing X app and five mics. Ultimately, the Nothing (1) headphones deliver a more refined listening experience and a more premium, comfortable build, while the Nothing (a) headphones give you exceptional battery life at a much lower price. At the current record-low discount, they’re both appealing options for anyone who wants premium features and an eye-catching design at a lower price.

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Researchers have long warned that AI agents could lower the skill floor for offensive cyber operations, and a recent report by OALABS (Open Analysis) researchers bears that out.

After recovering and analyzing over 1,000 agent sessions from a compromised server on which an attacker deployed Anthropic’s Claude Code and OpenAI’s Codex agents, the researchers discovered how easily the attacker was able to bypass most of the agents’ guardrails, and how little he actually needed to know and do himself.

“In many cases, the attacker supplied only vague, low-skill prompts and allowed Claude to fill in the gaps: researching exposed services, identifying possible vulnerabilities, writing exploit code, validating access, and harvesting data,” the researchers noted.

“The attacker did not need to be an expert operator; they simply had to use the correct framing for their prompts. The agent supplied much of the structure and technical execution that the attacker appeared to lack.”

A window into the attacks and the attacker

The analyzed sessions were recoverable due to an operational security failure on the attacker’s part, the researchers explained.

Rather than running the AI agents on infrastructure he fully controlled, he copied them onto a server belonging to someone else. When that server’s owner discovered the intrusion, they downloaded the attacker’s entire working directory and shared it with the researchers.

“Because the agents were local to the host, their full session logs were recovered, including the attacker’s prompts, the tools used, the internal monologue of the large language model (LLM), and any policy violations recorded during the sessions,” the researchers found.

By analyzing the sessions, they discovered that:

  • The Claude agent had been copied onto the host rather than installed, and that instance had previously belonged to a software developer.
  • The attacker’s working directory also contained other stolen Claude instances archived in 7-Zip folders, suggesting that hijacking and reusing other people’s AI agent installations was the attacker’s routine mode of operation.
  • The attacker usually bypassed the agent’s reluctance to execute hacking requests by claiming he was engaging in authorized red team exercises or cyber security research.
  • The attacker used the agent to identify exploitable services on targets’ systems, build custom exploits based on discovered vulnerabilities, execute these exploits against the targets, and exfiltrate data and credentials.

The prompt history shows that almost all hacking activity was driven through the Claude agent, with the attacker preferring to issue vague directives such as “recon this” and allowing Claude to carry out the requests autonomously.

“For each successful target, Claude would draft a ‘PENTEST-REPORT’ detailing how the access was gained and, more importantly, providing dollar-value ‘monetization’ estimates for the harvested data,” they shared.

“Both Claude and Codex raised the majority of their policy violation blocks during this phase, often correctly identifying that monetizing stolen data was likely not part of a legitimate redteam exercise. However, the attacker eventually obtained a list of suggested strategies, including extortion, access and data sale, business email compromise (BEC), and direct theft of funds.”

The collected sessions documented the breach of at least 14 companies, but there was no information in the logs to confirm that the attacker succeeded in monetizing the stolen data or stealing funds.

The attacker’s inexperience was also evident in his operational security failures. At one point he asked Claude to help edit his resume, which contained his full name, location, education history, and LinkedIn profile.

Later, while investigating a potential compromise of one of his own hosts, he inadvertently confirmed his home IP address to the agent. Based on this and other corroborating evidence, the researchers believe the attacker to be a young man based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

The line between research and crime is hard to see (for AI)

Across more than 1,000 sessions, Claude emitted only nine policy violations, and Codex only one, and in most cases, the attacker was able to work around them by reframing his request.

The problem is that the framing that bypassed the guardrails here (“authorized red team engagements”, “cyber security research”) is also the framing used by thousands of legitimate security professionals every day, and drawing a reliable line between the two may be an unsolvable problem.

Blunting LLMs with broader refusals is not a good solution, the researchers feel, as it would hurt defenders more than attackers, who can simply turn to older or less restrictive non-frontier models.

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Smart locks are getting more experimental lately, but most still rely on fingerprints, keypads, or phone apps that can feel inconsistent in daily use—for example, fingerprint readers that stop working properly when your hands are wet or dirty. The Philips 5000 Series Palm Recognition Lock feels like it was designed around those small everyday annoyances. Instead of pressing buttons or tapping your phone, you just hold your palm near the sensor, and the door unlocks. It sounds slightly over-the-top at first, but it actually makes sense once you picture carrying groceries, juggling coffee, or trying to get inside quickly without digging through pockets. It's currently on sale for $212.49 on StackSocial, which is about the same as other higher-end smart locks, but with its unique approach to keyless entry.

In day-to-day use, the convenience features make more sense than the marketing buzz around palm recognition itself. The lock connects directly to 2.4GHz wifi without requiring a separate hub, so remote access works straight from the Philips Home Access app. You can check lock status, control access remotely, and receive notifications when someone enters or leaves. It also supports Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, which makes it easier to lock the door remotely at night or check whether it was left open. There’s also a built-in door position sensor that can tell whether the door is actually shut instead of only reporting the lock status, so you spend less time wondering whether you closed the door properly on your way out.

That said, while palm recognition sounds futuristic, some people may still prefer a standard fingerprint reader or keypad simply because it feels more familiar. Philips includes a backup anti-peep PIN keypad for that reason, along with on-device encryption that stores biometric data directly on the lock rather than in the cloud. And since it runs on four AA batteries and stays connected to wifi, its long-term will depend heavily on how often the wifi features stay active. Also, the IP54 weather-resistance rating of this lock should be fine for most front doors, though it is better suited for covered entryways than for fully exposed outdoor gates. The Philips 5000 Series is on sale at StackSocial for a limited time or until quantities run out.

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Julian Fellowes, more recently of the period triumph The Gilded Age, followed up his Academy Award-winning screenplay for Gosford Park with Downton Abbey, a family saga set in the upstairs and downstairs of a great English estate. Beginning with the sinking of the Titanic in 1912 and concluding around 1930 with the most recent (final?) film, the series begins with the unexpected death of the titular castle's heir, leaving a cousin no one has ever met (Dan Stevens) to inherit everything.

That event kicks off a series-long effort to secure the family's future in the face of war, depleted finances, and the invention of swivel chairs designed to baffle the sassy Dowager Countess (Maggie Smith). The show's arrival in 2010 was an immediate sensation, drawing new attention to older shows and ushering in dozens of new ones. You can stream the Downton Abbey on Prime Video and Peacock, and, once you've made your way through its six seasons and three movies, you're invited to dive into these other highbrow but fun family soap operas.

House of Guinness (2025 – )

There's plenty of upper-crust family drama in this loosely-based-on-real-events series, but it comes from Steven Knight (Peaky Blinders), so expect a great deal more violence and fewer cozy chats in the library. The first episode begins shortly after the death of Sir Benjamin Guinness, who became the wealthiest man in Ireland by expanding the trade in Guinness beer throughout the British Empire. The cracks begin to show on the way to the funeral: Religious leaders deplore all of the beer-drinking, while Irish Republicans want the company brought down for colluding with empire. Sir Benjamin's four heirs have wildly different goals and/or hate each other so, you know—lots of drama and lots of beer. The show's been renewed for a second season. Stream House of Guinness on Netflix.

Upstairs, Downstairs (1971 – 1975, 2010 – 2012)

An international phenomenon in the early '70s that undoubtedly inspired Downton Abbey, Upstairs, Downstairs is very nearly the ur-text for smart, glossy, and occasionally scandalous period TV drama. The show follows the wealthy Bellamy family of London's fashionable Belgravia neighborhood through triumphs and tragedies. The heart of the downstairs staff is housemaid Rose Buck, played by series co-creator and writer Jean Marsh, who returned for the next-generation revival in 2010. The additive drama begat any number of high-end prestige dramas and, in some regards, has never been bettered. Stream Upstairs, Downstairs on Britbox; stream the Upstairs, Downstairs revival on Disney+, Hulu, Peacock, and Britbox.

Bridgerton (2020 – )

Shonda Rhimes' candy-colored, ultra-stylized period piece has been a legitimate sensation for Netflix, adapting the Julia Quinn novel series, which itself owes plenty to Jane Austen (as does just about any Regency romance). With a large, rotating ensemble—led by Nicola Coughlan's Penelope Bridgerton, who is ably assisted by Adjoa Andoh, Jonathan Bailey, Ruth Gemmell, Polly Walker, and Julie Andrews (as the voice of the mysterious Lady Whistledown)—the show revels in the tropes of the literature of the era while turning up the dial on sex, scandal, drama, and heart. When you finish this one, there's the excellent prequel/spinoff Queen Charlotte, also on Netflix. Stream Bridgerton on Netflix.

The Gilded Age (2022 – )

Julian Fellowes (joined by Sonja Warfield) does something similar to Downton Abbey here while shifting the time and place back to the 1880s in New York City. We're introduced to the world of upper and then extremely upper-class New York City society by Marian Brook (Louisa Jacobson), poor relation to the estranged aunties who take her in, and Peggy Scott (Denée Benton), a young Black writer from a solidly middle-class family who becomes a secretary to Christine Baranski's sassy Agnes van Rhijn. Old-money Agnes and sister Ada (Cynthia Nixon) live across the street from new-money social climbers the Russells (led gloriously by Carrie Coon's Bertha); established society isn't keen on letting in these upstarts—though money very much talks. In one sense, the stakes here could not possibly be lower (Bertha wants a better seat at the opera! Twink footman invents a new clock!)—so why is the show so addictive? It's been renewed for a fourth season. Stream The Gilded Age on HBO Max.

The Buccaneers (2023 – )

Not quite going full Bridgerton in terms of hyper-stylization, this 1870s-set adaptation of an unfinished Edith Wharton novel isn't afraid to take some liberties in terms of costuming and music. The buccaneers of the title are among the so-called dollar princesses of the era: Nan St. George (Kristine Froseth) and her friends are young women from upperclass American families on the make among the British aristocracy. The Americans get titles, and the English lords get to keep their frequently cash-poor estates running (this whole phenomenon forms the backstory for the elder Crawleys on Downton Abbey, so should be familiar). What starts as soapy mercenary mission for the strong and spirited young women becomes a complicated hunt for true love, especially when Nan is forced to choose between the handsome duke she should marry and the best friend she can't seem to stay out of bed with. Stream The Buccaneers on Apple TV.

The Other Bennet Sister (2026)

A bit of a ratings blockbuster on the BBC, this miniseries (for now, anyway), revisits the events of Pride and Prejudice from the perspective of Lizzy Bennet's bookish, altogether dorkier sister. Her ruddy complexion, penchant for grammatical correctness, and (dear lord) spectacles, make her entirely unsuitable for marriage and unfit for much other than genteel spinsterhood. That all begins to change when Mary sets off on her own to become a governess for the Gardiner family in London, managing to forge a life and a future for herself away from the parents and siblings who see her as not much more than a piece of furniture. Stream The Other Bennet Sister on Britbox.

Victoria (2016 – 2019)

Though a couple of generations prior to Downton, and taking place among the British royals rather than the merely upper crust, Victoria was born from the popularity of that other show—it revels in the same types of soapy drama, just at a slightly higher tier of society. Jenna Coleman (Doctor Who) is the young queen, navigating political rivals, family obligations, and a growing infatuation with a German prince (Tom Hughes). Mirroring the Queen's dramas are those of the palace staff, including the dressers, footmen, and cooks who are all dealing stuff of their own (thank you very much) while doing the real work of keeping things running for the royals. Stream Victoria on Netflix and PBS Passport.

Gentleman Jack (2019 – 2022)

Though her love dared not speak its name, the real-life Anne Lister certainly had no problem putting words to it—something like five million of them across her many diaries. So many, in fact, that the production of this show necessitated new transcriptions of works that hadn't been fully examined, despite having been written in the 1830s. Suranne Jones stars as Anne Lister, landowner and budding industrialist who returns to her inherited family estate only to discover that the neighbors are snatching coal from her land—and also that Ann Walker (Sophie Rundle), a wealthy estate owner, is looking pretty fine. It's a clever, funny series, and its use of Lister's prolific diaries gives it a real sense of verisimilitude in its depiction of a queer trailblazer. Stream Gentleman Jack on HBO Max or buy episodes from Prime Video.

Sanditon (2019 – 2023)

Another riff on Jane Austen, Sanditon is based on the author's final, incomplete work, which allows for plenty of creative leeway while offering a pretty pure distillation of the regency-drama thrills that Austen bequeathed to us—we're obviously a century earlier than Downton Abbey, but the romantic and economic entanglements of posh British types will ring familiar. Here, the wildly independent Charlotte Heywood (Rose Williams) sets out to reinvent herself while moving to the title's growing seaside resort town (based, probably, on the real-life Worthing). She discovers that commercial prospects have drawn schemers and chancers to the area, creating a unique and vibrant social scene, with all of the balls and fancy costumes you'd expect. Naturally, romantic complications ensue when Charlotte gets judgy about the entrepreneurial Parker family and finds herself at odds with, and then getting close to, the wild youngest son, Sidney (Theo James). Stream Sanditon on PBS Passport or buy episodes from Prime Video.

The Forsyte Saga (2002 – 2003)

I haven't been the biggest fan of the new adaptation of the John Galsworthy novels—though The Forsytes has already been renewed for a further two seasons, so I'm apparently in the minority. Nevertheless, I'll direct you back to 2002 and this extended miniseries led by Damian Lewis. It starts off in 1884 when the slightly scandalous engagement of one of the wealthy new-money Forsytes is marred by the revelation of a wild scandalous affair between cousin Joylon (Rupert Graves) and the governess, kicking off an impossibly complicated series of events that occupies the family for decades. Author Galsworthy was inspired to write the books on which all of this is based by his own extramarital affair, so drama is in the show's DNA. Stream The Forsyte Saga on Netflix.


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Along with the brand new Siri AI, Apple is introducing a number of new Apple Intelligence features—including a trio of new AI tools in the Photos app. We've been here before: Apple previously released AI-powered image editing features like Clean Up, which didn't necessarily hit the mark compared to similar tools from competitors like Google or Samsung. But this year appears to be a bit different: Apple's newest models, including those that work off-device, are improving existing features and powering new tools. For the most part, it seems to be a step in the right direction.

Apple’s Clean Up tool is much better

The new Clean Up tool is perhaps the most important update here. In iOS 26, Clean Up used Apple's on-device AI models to remove objects, but it was hit-or-miss. Clean Up was okay at basic tasks, but I found it couldn't remove surrounding shadows, nor could it replace an object with something that looked like it was originally part of the image.

Clean Up now uses a hybrid approach. For simple tweaks, like removing a small object, it uses an on-device model, just like in iOS 26. But, for bigger, more complex tasks (like removing an obstruction around your face), it hands off the task to Apple’s powerful Foundation models hosted on Apple’s own Private Cloud Compute servers. These servers, according to Apple, are completely private and encrypted. Apple says it doesn’t have access to your photos, and it doesn’t use your data for training.

To find these new tools, tap Edit on a photo, then choose Tools at the end of the toolbar. Here, tap Clean Up. By default, the feature is in Auto mode, which is the hybrid approach discussed above. From here, you can also switch to High Quality to force Apple to use the cloud models.

Using new Clean Up tools in iOS 27.
Middle: Cleaning up using only the on-device Fast model (same as iOS 26). Right: Using Apple's new Cloud models in iOS 27. Credit: Khamosh Pathak

Then, it’s business as usual. Use your fingers to highlight the object or part of the image that you want to remove. If you’re using Fast, the on-device option, the cleanup process will begin instantly. If you’re using High Quality, you’ll need to tap Clean Up and wait until Apple’s models do their thing. In my experience, the wait time can even stretch to minutes if you’re asking for clear, large objects.

After using this feature for cleaning up multiple images, here's the best tip I can give you: always use High Quality. Fast is the same as last year's feature, and while it removes the image, its replacement is lacking, as you can see with the mismatched tabletop in the image above. Even if you are removing a distinct object from a table, High Quality does a better job of replicating the tabletop, as well as shadows falling from other objects.

Clean Up tool in iOS 26 vs iOS 27.
Left and Middle: Clean up tool using on-device AI on iPhone 16 Pro. Right: Clean Up tool using Apple's cloud models on iPhone 16 Pro. Credit: Khamosh Pathak

The improvements continue when dealing with faces. The new iOS 27 feature can use generative AI and your own photos to recreate parts of your face that are obstructed. In my test (which you can see above), Clean Up on iOS 27 got rid of 99% of my coffee mug (though a border somehow still remains). On iOS 26, though, the result is just laughably bad: a soup of surrounding colors.

Extending photos in iOS 27 works like a charm

Extending photos in iOS 27 Photos app.
Credit: Khamosh Pathak

Extend, as the name suggests, expands your photos. Let’s say you have an off-center shot, or just looks unbalanced. Tap Extend from the Tools menu, then pinch in and move the image around. As you do, the surroundings will begin to blur, indicating the areas that iOS will fill in using Apple’s generative AI models. Because Apple uses cloud models, this too might take some time. Tap Extend, and wait.

Overall, Apple’s generative AI for extending images and filling in details is quite good—with some limitations. That's not necessarily surprising, as it's trained on Gemini’s own models, which are excellent at image manipulation. I tested the feature by extending the frame in nature, and in indoor settings. It did a good job of guessing what was around me, and even gave me a hand and a leg that weren't in the original shot. That said, it completely overexposed the image, so while you get more in the frame, you lose the sky entirely. In a photo I took of a coffee shop, the Photos app took the coffee bags that were on the shelf and just repeated them in the extended shot. This is quite a smart way to make the extended image look more realistic.

Extending photos in iOS 27 Photos app.
I took this image at Bookatico Bookstore & Cafe in Vadodara, India. Credit: Khamosh Pathak

Apple's Reframe feature needs a bit of work

The Reframe tool lets you change the angle or the perspective of the photo. You might wish you had moved your phone just a bit to the right before taking that snap of your partner, and while the moment is gone, the angle might be saved. With Reframe, you can swipe around on the image to change the perspective, as if you were adjusting the angle when originally taking the photo. The app shows you a live preview of what things will look like (as this is just a preview, it will show some unnatural bending, but that won’t be in the final result). Then, tap Reframe, and let Apple’s cloud models do their thing. After some time, the reframed image will be ready.

reframing a coffee cup to mixed results
Credit: Khamosh Pathak

In my testing, I found this to be the most jarring tool. It does the job, but it struggles with faces quite a lot. It’s best to use it for slight angle changes, and not much else. To stress test, I pushed the angle as far as the Photos app would allow. The result was an image with a slanted face, that looked more 2D than 3D (I will save you the horror of looking at my face with the eyes scrambled). As Apple works on improving the cloud models, though, this can get better.

Remember: All of these features are currently in beta testing. Apple may continue to improve the experience with subsequent betas and with iOS 27's official release in the fall.


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