iOS 27

Apple won't unveil iOS 27 until the Worldwide Developers Conference in June 2026, but details about the next-generation operating system have already started leaking out.

Last year, we got a major design change, and this year, we're going to get updates for the iPhone Fold, a new version of Siri with a dedicated Siri ap, and under-the-hood optimizations that could make iOS run faster and use less battery life.

This September, Apple is launching its first foldable iPhone, so iOS 27 needs some updates to accommodate it. The iPhone Fold will support two apps side-by-side, bringing multitasking to the iPhone for the first time, plus apps will get side bars. When the iPhone Fold is open, it'll have an iPad-like display size with a version of iOS 27 optimized for bigger screens. When it's closed, it'll look like a standard iPhone with the regular version of iOS 27.

Siri features originally slated for iOS 26.4 could instead come in iOS 27, plus Apple is planning to roll out a full chatbot version of Siri that will compete with Claude, OpenAI, and Gemini.

With the exception of the design optimizations and Siri revamp, iOS 27 is supposedly going to be light on features because Apple also wants to focus on performance and efficiency improvements.

iOS 27 has been described as a "Snow Leopard" update that will see Apple addressing bugs and removing old, outdated code to make iOS run faster.

This roundup highlights all of the iOS 27 rumors that we've heard so far. As with all iOS updates, iOS 27 will be accompanied by iPadOS 27, a version of iOS with features specific to the larger displays of Apple's iPad lineup.

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The first foldable iPhone is coming in September. Rumors suggest that it will feature a 5.5-inch display when folded, and a 7.8-inch display when it's opened up like a book.

An iPhone with a larger display that also folds will require some major updates to iOS, and iOS 27 will focus on building new interfaces and experiences made for a larger display.

The iPhone Fold will operate like a cross between an iPhone and an iPad, but it will run iOS, not iPadOS, and it won't support iPad apps. When unfolded, the iPhone will have an iPad-like layout that supports multitasking with two apps side-by-side. Many of Apple's iPhone apps will have sidebars on the left of the display, with Apple providing developers with tools to easily adapt their apps to the new layout.

Apple is using a wider design for the iPhone Fold than most foldable smartphone makers have used, and it is rumored to have an iPad-like 4:3 aspect ratio. When the iPhone is closed, it will have a standard iPhone layout that looks like the version of iOS we have now.

We were supposed to get the Apple Intelligence version of Siri in iOS 26.4, but Apple is still having problems with development. Siri isn't yet operating as expected, and it's not ready to launch.

The new Siri features are being pushed to iOS 27, and Apple is also planning for an entirely revamped chatbot version of Siri.

Apple is partnering with Google and plans to use a custom AI model built in collaboration with Google's Gemini team for some of the new Siri features, including the Siri chatbot functionality that's coming.

Apple Intelligence Siri Features We're Waiting On

Apple described three specific ways that Siri will improve with Apple Intelligence integration, including personal context, the ability to see what's on the screen to know what the user is talking about, and the capability to do more in and between apps.

Siri will understand pronouns, references to content on the screen and in apps, and it will have a short-term memory for follow-up requests.

Personal Context

With personal context, Siri will be able to keep track of emails, messages, files, photos, and more, learning more about you to help you complete tasks and keep track of what you've been sent.

• Show me the files Eric sent me last week.
• Find the email where Eric mentioned ice skating.
• Find the books that Eric recommended to me.
• Where's the recipe that Eric sent me?
• What's my passport number?

Onscreen Awareness

Onscreen awareness will let Siri see what's on your screen and complete actions involving whatever you're looking at. If someone texts you an address, you can tell Siri to add it to their contact card. Or if you're looking at a photo and want to send it to someone, you can ask Siri to do it for you.

Deeper App Integration

Deeper app integration means that Siri will be able to do more in and across apps, performing actions and completing tasks that are just not possible with the personal assistant right now. We don't have a full picture of what Siri will be capable of, but Apple has provided a few examples of what to expect.

• Moving files from one app to another.
• Editing a photo and then sending it to someone.
• Get directions home and share the ETA with Eric.
• Send the email I drafted to Eric.

Answers and Images

Back in August 2025, Apple software engineering chief Craig Federighi told employees that efforts to update the architecture were promising enough that Apple would be able to implement a "much bigger upgrade" than Apple originally envisioned.

Since then, rumors have suggested that Apple will add image generation capabilities to Siri, relying on Image Playground. Siri is also expected to get a "World Knowledge" search feature that would provide information on general search queries using information pulled from the web. Siri will be able to summarize web results like ChatGPT to answer questions.

Chatbot Siri

Apple is planning to turn Siri into a full chatbot that users can interact with similarly to Claude or ChatGPT. The Siri chatbot will be deeply integrated into Apple's operating systems at the system level, but Apple is also developing a standalone Siri app.

Like ChatGPT and Claude, Siri will support both text and voice-based conversations. The app will display either a list or grid of past conversations, with options to favorite chats, search through chats, initiate new chats, and save chats. Conversations with Siri will resemble iMessage conversations, with Apple using chat bubbles. New conversations will start with suggested prompts on what to ask.

Siri will be able to do much of what current chatbots can do, such as searching the web with visually rich results, providing summaries, and evaluating uploaded documents, and the personal assistant will still be integrated into Apple devices. Pressing the side button on an iPhone or using the Siri wake word will activate Siri. Siri integration will replace the current Spotlight search functionality, but Apple plans to keep and expand on Siri Suggestions. Siri Suggestions will have more access to user data to provide more relevant prompts.

Siri Design Update

Chatbot Siri will have an updated look to go along with the dedicated app. Activating Siri will have a new animation that prompts the user to search or ask a question, and Apple is testing a version of Siri integrated into the Dynamic Island. Apple's test interface includes a glowing Siri icon and a "searching" label in the Dynamic Island while Siri is processing a request, and once done, Siri expands into a larger translucent panel with the results. Pulling down on the menu initiates an interface for a conversation.

Apple may also integrate an "Ask Siri" button into the menus of other apps, giving users a way to send content directly to Siri alongside a request. The iOS keyboard could get a Write with Siri option that surfaces Writing Tools.

Core AI Framework

Apple will introduce a Core AI framework for developers that replaces the current Core ML framework. The Core AI framework will provide developers with a way to integrate AI models into their apps.

Liquid Glass

Apple doesn't plan to make major changes to the Liquid Glass aesthetic in iOS 27, but the company is mulling a system-wide setting that would precisely adjust the look of the interface. In iOS 26.2, Apple added a slider that lets users adjust the opacity of Liquid Glass for the Lock Screen's clock, and that setting could be expanded to the entire operating system.

AI Calendar App

iOS 27 could include a Calendar app that incorporates AI.

AI Health Features

Apple planned a full AI-powered Health+ subscription service, but plans have been scaled back. Some components that Apple planned to implement could still be introduced in iOS 27, though it's unclear what we'll get.

Health+ reportedly would have provided health recommendations in the Health app, delivering detailed health reports, videos that explain medical conditions, and wellness tips.

New Satellite Features

Apple is working on several new satellite features for the iPhone, and it's possible some features could be introduced as soon as 2027. Timing on Apple's satellite improvements is unclear, though, and behind-the-scenes updates from Apple's satellite partner Globalstar are required. Rumored features:

• Apple Maps via satellite
• Photos in Messages via satellite
• Satellite API framework for third-party apps
• Satellite over 5G
• Satellite connectivity without the need for a view of the sky

Some of these features might require new hardware, but options like Apple Maps via satellite would not require components beyond what's available now.

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has described iOS 27 as a "Snow Leopard" update, suggesting that Apple will focus on improving underlying performance and quality.

Apple is prioritizing cleaning up the iOS code and removing anything that's outdated, which could mean upgrading apps to improve performance and rewriting some existing features to be more efficient. The code updates could provide a more responsive, faster version of iOS.

Apple is also aiming for efficiency improvements that could translate into tangible battery life gains.

New versions of iOS, macOS, and Apple's other software platforms will be previewed in June at WWDC before launching in September just ahead of when new iPhone models come out. The WWDC keynote will be held on Monday, June 8.