Apple's latest business move could have a big impact on the future of iPhone cameras. The tech giant recently acquired a UK-based startup, Spectral Edge, specialized in technology that improves photos taken on smartphones.

Public filings obtained by Bloomberg show that Apple Attorney Peter Denwood was recently named director of Spectral Edge, while the startup’s other advisers and board members have been laid off, leaving Apple in full control.

Spectral Edge's technology takes photographs using infrared sensors, and blends it with a standard photo to improve the image. It then uses a type of AI called machine learning to make smartphone pictures crisper. Photography has become a key differentiator in the smartphone market and Spectral Edge's technology could give Apple a significant advantage.

For now, a purchase price for Spectral Edge could not be ascertained. However, the startup raised more than $5 million in funding last year alone.