Apple is reportedly preparing a new AI-powered feature for iOS 27 that could allow iPhone users to split bills simply by taking a photo of a receipt. The feature, which is expected to be revealed at WWDC 2026, would automatically scan restaurant bills, grocery receipts and other payment slips, identify line items, calculate taxes and tips, and determine how much each person owes – reports Bloomberg.
The technology behind the feature relies on advances in optical character recognition (OCR), computer vision and AI-powered document understanding. After a user photographs a receipt, the system is expected to identify individual items, prices, taxes and other charges, then allow people to assign purchases to specific members of a group. Importantly, the iPhone maker is reportedly designing the feature to handle more than just item selection. Users would also be able to divide shared expenses that are harder to allocate – like taxes, service charges and tips – ensuring that each participant pays an accurate share of the final bill.
The bill-splitting process is expected to be deeply integrated into Apple’s payments ecosystem rather than functioning as a standalone calculator. The report indicates that the feature will work through Apple Wallet and Messages and will be tied directly to Apple Cash. Once the receipt has been analyzed and the costs allocated, payment requests can be generated automatically and sent to other participants. Recipients would then be able to review the amount, approve the request and complete payment directly from an iPhone or Apple Watch.
From a business perspective, the feature could further strengthen Apple’s growing financial-services strategy. The Tim Cook-led firm has steadily expanded beyond hardware through Apple Pay, Apple Card, Apple Cash and Wallet, building an ecosystem that keeps users inside Apple’s software for both payments and money management. And by allowing users to photograph a receipt, allocate expenses and send payment requests within the same ecosystem, the tech titan could increase engagement with its financial products while making peer-to-peer payments more convenient.
At the same time, privacy is likely to be a major selling point if the feature launches. Receipts contain detailed information about consumer behaviour, including spending habits, locations, purchase histories and lifestyle preferences. Notably, Apple has consistently highlighted processing sensitive information on-device whenever possible, reducing reliance on cloud servers. Therefore, if receipt recognition is handled locally, the company could position the feature as a more privacy-focused alternative to third-party expense apps.
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Ashutosh is a Senior Writer at The Tech Portal, largely reporting on new tech, and intersection of technology and business. Ashutosh’s career spans across nearly a decade of technology writing across multiple platforms and languages.
