Picture Playground is Apple’s picture technology app that launched final yr. Most individuals might not have lots of use for the cartoonish photos that it produces in iOS 18, however you are going to need to take one other take a look at it in iOS 26 as a result of Apple has improved its algorithms.
Individuals look extra pure within the photos generated by the app, with extra practical eyes and extra variation in hair that higher matches pattern pictures.
As a fast recap, ‌Picture Playground‌ helps you to kind in any phrase to generate a picture in considered one of three non-realistic types. You can even choose pre-determined scenes and props that Apple suggests, and generate photos that includes your family and friends. It is these photos the place you will notice the largest distinction in ‌iOS 26‌, as a result of the content material generated primarily based on photos of individuals has modified fairly a bit.
Animation
In ‌iOS 18‌, pictures generated utilizing the Animation type have blunt hair with little variation, a lot of distinction, and unnatural trying faces, however in ‌iOS 26‌, options are softer, hair is extra diversified, and it has extra circulation. Garments additionally look extra pure, although ‌Picture Playground‌ would not typically trouble matching outfits.
iOS 18.6 picture in center, ‌iOS 26‌ picture on proper‌Picture Playground‌’s Animation type in ‌iOS 26‌ appears to take extra liberty with picture backgrounds, pose, and physique form, and it is higher at small particulars like particular eyebrow form.
iOS 18.6 picture in center, ‌iOS 26‌ picture on properSketch
With the Sketch type, ‌Picture Playground‌ is once more higher at matching facial features, options, and hair type. The picture on the fitting appears extra like Macrumors videographer Dan Barbera than the center picture.
iOS 18.6 picture in center, ‌iOS 26‌ picture on properIllustration
Illustration has among the similar traits as Sketch, higher capturing colours and inventing higher backgrounds.
iOS 18.6 picture in center, ‌iOS 26‌ picture on properAnimals and Landscapes
The modifications to ‌Picture Playground‌ may also be seen in photos of animals, meals, locations, and extra, in all three built-in types.
iOS 18.6 picture in center, ‌iOS 26‌ picture on properFeelings
‌Picture Playground‌ appears to be higher at reflecting emotion, too. For this picture, the modifier “sobbing” was added to the picture. It did not fairly present tears, however there’s extra emotion within the ‌iOS 26‌ face on the fitting. There’s even a devoted “Expressions” menu, with choices that embody chuckle, comfortable, mad, unhappy, shocked, considering, thumbs up, and thumbs down.
iOS 18.6 picture in center, ‌iOS 26‌ picture on properChatGPT Integration
ChatGPT picture technology capabilities are included in ‌Picture Playground‌ in ‌iOS 26‌, so there are an expanded vary of types to select from. There are just a few prompt choices, together with anime, oil portray, vector, print, and water coloration types, all of which use ChatGPT reasonably than Apple’s capabilities to create the picture.
Anime, oil portray, and water coloration types in ‌Picture Playground‌The output is just like what you get in case you use ChatGPT 4o for picture technology, and you can also make these cute anime-style photos which have been floating across the web.
ChatGPT’s anime-style output in ‌Picture Playground‌There’s additionally an open-ended “Any Fashion” choice to create photos with ChatGPT, and that provides extra vary to what’s doable with ‌Picture Playground‌. ChatGPT can primarily mimic any type that you simply ask it to, and it might probably generate practical photos, which isn’t one thing that Apple’s picture technology expertise does.
A “practical” picture of a fowl on prime of a cat’s head.As with commonplace ‌Picture Playground‌ picture technology, you can also make a text-based request or add a picture to ChatGPT and ask it to make use of that as the idea for a picture. Photos that you simply add and textual content requests could be mixed.
Creating photos with ChatGPT makes use of up tokens, and when you’ve got a free account, you in all probability will not be capable of create multiple or two photos. Making the most of ChatGPT picture creation options in ‌Picture Playground‌ past that requires a paid account.
Genmoji
‌Picture Playground‌ in ‌iOS 18‌ doesn’t assist creating Genmoji, and that is a separate function positioned within the Messages app. In ‌iOS 26‌, you should use ‌Picture Playground‌ for ‌Genmoji‌.
‌Genmoji‌ is a method which you can choose, and selecting it opens up an interface the place you’ll be able to select an emoji or a number of emoji to customise. One of many new ‌Genmoji‌ options in ‌iOS 26‌ is the choice to mix emoji to make new emoji reasonably than ranging from scratch with a personality, and this functionality is obtainable in ‌Picture Playground‌ along with the Messages app.
You’ll be able to faucet a number of emoji to create a brand new one, or select an emoji after which add text-based descriptions to make tweaks. There is no such thing as a possibility to make use of pictures for ‌Genmoji‌. The ‌Genmoji‌ that you simply make are added to your emoji keyboard and so they can be utilized in Messages.
Labeling
Once you ship somebody a picture generated with ‌Picture Playground‌ in ‌iOS 26‌, like over AirDrop, it’s labeled as a generated picture within the file title.
