Apple revamped the naming system for its operating system and brought a fresh new design with the iOS 26 launch this year. However, the Cupertino-based tech giant has still been at the receiving end of criticism from users, partly due to the long-delayed AI features and partly due to some poorly implemented features in iOS 26. With iOS 27, however, Apple would want to turn a fresh leaf and get back to earning the trust of its loyal fanbase.
iOS 27 is still a fair while away, with the official unveiling expected in the summer of 2026 during the WWDC event, while the UI is expected to make its eventual debut with the iPhone 18 series in September, as has been the tradition for a few years for Apple devices. However, leaks about the new UI have already started swirling, giving us a hint of what to expect.
Here’s a list of top features that are expected to be a part of iOS 27:
1) Photos app changes:
A recent leaked iOS code seen by Macworld had confirmed that Apple is working on some improvements to the Photos app which could be rolled out with the iOS 27 update. The report stated that there are “new feature flags tied to improved collections in the Photos app with iOS 27.”
To recap, Apple had completely revamped the Photos app with the iOS 18 update, where it removed the bottom tab in favour of a unified view that relies on “collections,” which organise photos by topics like recent days, trips, people and more.
The improved collections are likely the next iteration of this change that Apple could be planning with the iOS 27 update.
2) New AirPods pairing system:
The same report also mentioned a new AirPods pairing system which could be introduced with iOS 27. It did not go into detail on how this new system could work but hinted that there could be under-the-hood improvements to make pairing faster and more reliable.
3) AI search engine:
Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman has previously reported that Apple is working on an AI-powered web search tool which is said to be part of iOS 27. The tool, which has been internally codenamed “World Knowledge Answers,” is said to be available across places where users look up information on the internet, such as the revamped Siri, Safari and Spotlight.
The new feature will reportedly rely on a large language model (LLM) that could be developed at least in part with help from Google.
4) Apple’s AI doctor:
Gurman has also previously talked about an initiative that has been internally codenamed “Project Mulberry,” which will lead to the Apple Health app being completely revamped and the launch of a new service called Health+.
The service is said to add a health coach via an AI agent in order to replicate some of the analysis done by a real doctor.
Reportedly, Apple’s upcoming Health app will be able to collect data from all of a user’s Apple devices, including the iPhone, Apple Watch, AirPods and even third-party products. The AI agent inside the app would then synthesise this data to make personalised recommendations aimed at improving users’ health.
5) Snow Leopard-style update:
Gurman has also reported that the iOS 27 update could be a Snow Leopard-style update, taking inspiration from Mac OS X Snow Leopard launched in 2009, which focused on subtle improvements and quality control.
However, the good news could be that Apple may focus on improving its existing AI features while being more cautious with the rollout of new AI tools.
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