Apple Builds Proprietary Photo Provenance System, Bypassing C2PA Standard

iOS 27 beta 5 code reveals "Apple Reference Image," an opt-in system verifying photos originated on iPhone camera hardware. Apple is skipping C2PA Content Credentials, already shipping in Canon, Nikon, Sony, FujiFilm, Leica, and Google's Pixel 10. Verification routes through Apple's Private Cloud Compute, making Apple the sole attestation authority and raising interoperability concerns.