ChatGPT for iPhone can now access your recent photos with a long press.
OpenAI has introduced a shortcut that displays your four most recent photos when you long press the plus button in ChatGPT on iPhone. This update comes while Apple's own camera and visual assistant features remain unavailable for iPhones in the EU.
OpenAI has streamlined one of the most common tasks in ChatGPT on mobile, reducing the process from two taps. Now, by long pressing the plus button next to the prompt box, users can quickly access their most recent four photos for attachment.
Previously, the process wasn't complicated, but it took longer: users had to open the plus menu, select Photos, and then search through a library that could contain tens of thousands of images.
Adam Fry, OpenAI’s consumer product lead, described it as “a fun, power user feature,” introduced in the company's update on August 21 alongside improvements for current time handling and faster loading times for lengthy web conversations.
On its own, this is a minor feature for gadget enthusiasts. However, its significance lies in the gap it is effectively addressing.
Apple showcased a similar functionality during WWDC26, demonstrating a Siri mode in the Camera app and enhanced Visual Intelligence to allow users to point their phone at an object and inquire about it, without needing to attach anything.
European iPhone users, however, will not be receiving these features. Apple announced in June that there is no timeline for Siri AI on iPhones or iPads within the EU, despite the features being available on Mac and Vision Pro.
The company's stance was clear: “We’re deeply disappointed that our EU users won’t have Siri AI on iPhone or iPad when we share our new software releases later this year,” stated software chief Craig Federighi.
The issue stems from the Digital Markets Act. Apple contends that the European Commission's interpretation of interoperability regulations would require them to provide competing assistants with the same extensive system access that Siri enjoys, and regulators rejected both its Trusted System Agent proposal and a phased rollout over 18 months.
As a result, Europe has a vast number of iPhones lacking a native visual assistant, with TNW estimating that around 450 million people in the EU are affected.
OpenAI is intentionally addressing this gap, further expanding into the same market on the commercial front, launching ads across 31 European countries.
Thus, while a long press might seem like a minor feature elsewhere, in Europe, it serves as the closest option for iPhone users looking for a camera that can answer questions.
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ChatGPT for iPhone can now access your recent photos with a long press.
OpenAI introduced a long-press shortcut for attaching recent photos in ChatGPT on the iPhone, although Apple's camera assistant remains unavailable in the EU.