Apple has been accused of misleading customers after excluding new camera features from older smartphone models despite earlier promises, according to a report by MacRumors.
The technology company quietly limited its new Texture and Graininess photographic styles to its newest premium smartphones, making them available only on the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and iPhone Duo devices following the rollout of the iOS 27 operating system. Users of the iPhone 17 series and older handsets were excluded from receiving the software features.
MacRumors reported that Apple previously promised broader access during its major product announcement event on September 9. At that presentation, company representatives stated that the new photographic styles would be available in iOS 27 across iPhone models, rather than being restricted to the highest end devices.
Discrepancy found in online documentation
Evidence of the change surfaced after a user identified as Cartidise on the social platform X located an archived version of Apple's official website. X, formerly known as Twitter, is frequently used by technical analysts and consumers to share findings regarding consumer technology products. The earlier version of the webpage explicitly stated that the updated photographic styles would be supported on the iPhone 16 and all subsequent models.
According to the report, Apple edited the product documentation page shortly after iOS 27 was released to remove references to compatibility with older iPhone generations, without issuing a public notification about the change.
Background on Apple hardware and software updates
Apple, headquartered in Cupertino, California, is a global technology company known for its consumer electronics, including the flagship iPhone product line and the iOS mobile operating system. MacRumors is an independent online news publication that covers technical developments, software releases, and hardware updates within the Apple ecosystem.
Photographic styles are built-in software options within the native iPhone camera application that allow users to adjust image rendering settings, such as color tone, contrast, and visual texture, prior to capturing a photograph. While annual iOS software updates routinely introduce new capabilities to existing hardware, smartphone manufacturers sometimes reserve specialized imaging algorithms for newer processors.
Earlier complaints regarding flagship devices
The software controversy follows separate technical issues reported by initial buyers of Apple's latest smartphone lineup. Users of the newly released iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max reported instances where the Face ID facial recognition sensor ceased working during normal use.
Face ID is Apple's proprietary biometric authentication system that uses specialized front-facing sensors to unlock devices, authorize purchases, and authenticate applications. The sensor failures represent an additional issue encountered by early users of the high-end devices.
