Every year, Apple gives us a preview of its upcoming software updates at its WWDC (Worldwide Developers Conference) event, and at the 2026 show we get news of what’s coming with iOS 27, iPadOS 27, macOS 27, watchOS 27, and more.

It is the iPhone update that we will focus on here. The full launch is scheduled for the fall, probably in September, along with the new iPhones.

If your iPhone can already run iOS 26, then it will also be able to run iOS 27, although some of the more advanced AI features are limited to certain models. Here’s what you’ll get when the update arrives.

1. Siri AI

This is the big one: Siri gets a major update and an extra ‘AI’ at the end of her name. It’s also becoming a dedicated standalone app, which you’ll be able to access on iPhones, iPads and Macs, with your chats synced between them for the first time.

Thanks to the help of Google and its artificial intelligence models, Siri is now much more comparable to chatbots like ChatGPT and Gemini. You should be able to get better, more sophisticated answers, as well as more informed answers from the web. The understanding and processing of audio and image inputs has also been improved.

However, keep in mind that the most advanced version of Siri, including voice customization options, is only available on iPhone Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max. This is because these phones have the most advanced built-in AI.

2. Liquid Glass Settings

The Liquid Glass revamp that arrived with iOS 26 has caused some division, so Apple is giving users more control over the strength of transparency effects. When opening Appearance From Settings you can configure it however you prefer using a simple slider.

If you have kids to care for, you’ll be interested in the new child safety tools Apple is rolling out with iOS 27. iPhones and Apple Accounts already offer numerous parental controls, but they will be updated and refined in the next version of the software.

Changes include a new Parent Setup Assistant that appears when you first set up an iPhone for a teen, and a “ask navigation” feature that alerts you when your child wants to visit a website they haven’t been to before.

The allotted time feature allows you to set how much time can be spent on certain app categories (such as entertainment), and the scheduling feature means screen time can be set differently for different days of the week.

4. Set alarm volumes separately

It’s been a long time coming, but iOS 27 finally lets you set an alarm volume that’s different from the ringtone and alert volume. Go to Sounds and haptics from iOS Settings, and there is a new Match ringtone volume toggle switch for alarms.

5. Equalizer settings for your AirPods

Apple has finally managed to add equalizer settings for AirPods in iOS 27. You can adjust the bass, mids, and treble to suit your ears and tastes, and this will work if you have the AirPods Pro 2, AirPods Pro 3, or AirPods 4.

You can access the AirPods settings page from iOS Settings by tapping Bluetooth and then the small “i” icon next to your AirPods. From there, you can choose Audio & Routing > Equalizer and then Habit to unlock the equalizer and start making changes.

6. Drawing options in Messages

There are also new features in the Messages app. One of the updates is the built-in drawing tools, so you can quickly send sketches and doodles to your contacts – the new Drawing The option is behind the + (Plus) button in the text input box.

7. More realistic AI images

Coming back to AI, and in addition to updating Siri, Apple is also catching up in terms of AI image generation, something it has lagged far behind in, compared to what can be produced using chatbots like Gemini and ChatGPT.

In iOS 27, AI images are handled through the Image Playground app. You were previously limited to fairly simple images made in cartoon or illustration-style formats, but the app will now also produce photorealistic results if you need it.

Additionally, you can now also edit your AI creations. You can use follow-up prompts to request changes (such as altering colors or adding objects) and even mark on the existing image where you want the modifications to be made.

8. Improved city flyovers in Apple Maps

As usual, iOS apps are also updated. One of the most notable improvements is the flyovers in Apple Maps – these 3D views will now use AI to give you more detail (even down to individual trees) and a smoother experience in select cities.

9. Reframe your photos

As part of the AI ​​improvements coming with iOS 27, Apple is introducing a new photo editing tool called Spatial Reframing. Basically, it allows you to maintain the central theme of an image, while changing the angle and perspective, and modifying the background.

So maybe you have a photo of your two kids, but they’re not perfectly in the center of the shot, or you didn’t get the angle right. Tap Rethink in the editing section of the Photos app, and then you can zoom in and out, pan the camera, and rotate the angle too.

Photos then applies some AI magic to fill any gaps you created, which in theory should merge with the original photo seamlessly. You end up with a prettier photo in the end, even if it’s not entirely real.

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