Apple may be preparing to bring sponsored content into Visual Intelligence with iOS 27. Newly discovered code suggests the feature could display paid images alongside standard visual search results.
However, the finding does not mean Apple will sell those ads directly. Instead, search providers could supply sponsored results when users search for products or other items through Visual Intelligence.
iOS 27 Code Reveals Sponsored Results
Researcher Aaron Perris discovered references to advertising support within iOS 27. According to the document, the code could enable sponsored images similar to listings already found on services such as Google and Amazon.
The discovery points to a possible change in how Visual Intelligence presents search results. Currently, the feature helps users learn about objects and places through the iPhone camera. It can identify items, extract and summarize text, and find visually similar products or images online.
Therefore, sponsored results could appear when users perform commercially relevant visual searches. For example, identifying a product could potentially return both regular and paid listings.
Search Providers Could Supply the Ads
Importantly, the code does not indicate that Apple plans to sell advertising space directly to businesses.
Instead, outside search providers could deliver sponsored images through their existing advertising systems. Perris specifically noted that the approach could resemble sponsored listings already shown by Google or Amazon.
Meanwhile, the financial arrangement remains unclear. Apple could potentially receive a share of advertising revenue, but the document provides no confirmation that such an agreement exists.
Apple Continues Expanding Advertising
The discovery also fits a broader shift in Apple’s services business. According to the report, the company has gradually expanded its advertising operations and recently introduced advertising within Apple Maps.
Still, code found in software does not guarantee that Apple will launch a feature publicly. The company could change, delay or abandon the implementation before release.
For now, the finding shows that Apple is at least laying the technical groundwork for sponsored Visual Intelligence results. If introduced, the change could turn visual search into another advertising opportunity within the iPhone experience.
