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At the launch of iOS 27, it appeared that the iPhone 16 and iPhone 17 would also receive the new texture and grain settings. However, Apple has since changed this. The feature remains exclusive to the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Duo.
Texture and Grain are the two new adjustment controls in Photographic Styles. With Texture, looks like "Smooth Skin," "Glow," or "Film" can be applied to a photo, while Grain adds a visible film grain. On the iPhone 18 Pro, both options are located in the Camera app under "Styles".
However, Apple has described differently which devices will receive the settings since the introduction of the iPhone 18 Pro models on September 9th.
Key Facts at a Glance
- At the presentation on September 9th, Apple stated that all iPhones are compatible with the latest generation of photographic styles.
- The press release now states that texture and grain are only available for photos taken with the iPhone 18 Pro and three cameras on the iPhone Duo.
- Apple's iPhone manual also only describes the texture setting for the iPhone 18 Pro models.
- The photographic styles themselves remain usable on the older models, only without texture and grain.
What Apple had announced at launch
The footnote to the press release of September 9 stated that the new texture and grain settings would be available in iOS 27 on all iPhone models that support the latest generation of Photographic Styles.
The new footnote
The press release for the iPhone 18 Pro now includes a different footnote. Texture and grain are only available for photos taken with the iPhone 18 Pro models, as well as with the iPhone Duo using the ultra-wide, main, and center-stage cameras. Apple's iPhone user manual also explicitly states that texture and grain are only available for the iPhone 18 Pro models. The new footnote does not mention any technical requirement that would prevent the older models from using the feature.
For owners of an iPhone 16 or iPhone 17, this means less will change than it initially sounds. The photographic styles will remain usable on the older models, but according to the new information, the options for texture and grain will not be added.
One more camera argument in favor of the iPhone 18 Pro
This change shifts the equation for anyone considering an upgrade. Texture and grain are no longer an iOS 27 feature that older devices get for free, but rather a feature of the new Pro models and the iPhone Duo. Along with variable aperture and Pro controls, it now joins the list of camera features that justify switching from the iPhone 17 Pro.
How much of a difference it makes depends on how you use the camera. Those who have hardly used photographic styles before will lose little from the change.
Were you excited about texture and grain for your iPhone 16 or 17 – or does the feature not matter for your photos anyway? Tell us in the comments how you use the photographic styles.
