Apple is preparing for a pivotal year in software. In June, the company will preview iOS 27 at its annual developer conference. By September, the update will ship alongside new iPhone models. This time, expectations feel higher than usual. Many of the features that were missed in iOS 26 may finally arrive with iOS 27.
The delay of Apple’s intelligence-powered Siri has reshaped Apple’s roadmap. As a result, iOS 27 now looks like the update many users expected last year. It is not just about new features. It is also about fixing what did not arrive on time.
iPhone Fold and a New iOS Experience
Apple plans to introduce its first foldable iPhone in September. The device may be called the iPhone Fold. Reports suggest it will feature a 5.5-inch display when folded. When opened like a book, it could expand to a 7.8-inch display.
A foldable iPhone demands serious changes to iOS. Therefore, iOS 27 will introduce new layouts built for larger screens. When unfolded, the device will feel closer to an iPad. However, it will still run iOS, not iPadOS, and it will not support iPad apps.
Users will see an iPad-like interface with two apps running side by side. Apple is also redesigning many of its own apps. Several iPhone apps will add sidebars on the left. At the same time, Apple will give developers tools to adjust their apps for the new layout.
Interestingly, Apple is choosing a wider design than most foldable competitors. The iPhone Fold reportedly uses a 4:3 aspect ratio, similar to the iPad. When closed, it will return to the familiar iPhone interface that users know today.
Apple Intelligence and the New Siri
Apple originally planned to launch the Apple Intelligence version of Siri in iOS 26.4. However, development challenges pushed that timeline back. Now, many of those features may debut in iOS 27. Some updates could still appear in iOS 26.5, but the full vision seems tied to iOS 27.
Apple is also building a chatbot-style Siri. This version will work more like modern AI assistants. Apple is partnering with Google and collaborating with the Gemini team on a custom AI model. That model will power parts of Siri’s new chatbot functionality.
It remains unclear whether Apple will release all features at once. The company may first ship the Apple Intelligence upgrade. Later, it could introduce full chatbot features in a separate iOS 27 update.
What Apple Intelligence Will Change in Siri
Apple outlined three major improvements for Siri under Apple Intelligence. These include personal context, onscreen awareness, and deeper app integration.
With personal context, Siri will better understand your data. It will track emails, messages, files, and photos. Over time, it will learn patterns to help complete tasks faster. For example, users will be able to ask Siri to do the following:
- Show files Eric sent last week
- Find the email where Eric mentioned ice skating
- Locate the books. Eric recommended
- Retrieve a recipe. Eric shared
- Provide a stored passport number
In addition, Siri will understand pronouns and screen references. It will remember recent follow-up requests. That short-term memory will make conversations feel more natural.
Onscreen awareness adds another layer. Siri will recognize what appears on your display. If someone texts an address, you can ask Siri to save it to a contact card. If you are viewing a photo, you can request Siri to send it. This feature connects actions directly to what you see.
Deeper app integration expands Siri’s control across apps. It will move files between apps. It can edit a photo and send it. It will get directions home and share the ETA with Eric. It can even send a drafted email. These tasks go far beyond today’s Siri capabilities.
Search, Images, and World Knowledge
In August 2025, Craig Federighi, senior vice president of software engineering at Apple, told employees that internal progress allowed for a much larger upgrade than first planned. Since then, reports suggest Siri will gain image generation features using Image Playground.
Apple also plans to introduce a World Knowledge search tool. This feature will pull data from the web. Siri will summarize results and answer questions in plain language. The experience will resemble ChatGPT, but it will remain tightly integrated into the system.
Siri as a System-Level Chatbot
Apple intends to transform Siri into a full chatbot. Users will activate it with the wake word or the side button. Unlike standalone chatbot apps, this version will live inside the operating system.
Currently, Siri does not support visible back-and-forth typed conversations. That limitation will likely change. Apple needs a conversation history view to match existing chatbot platforms.
The upgraded Siri chatbot will search the web, analyze uploaded files, and summarize information. However, it will go further. Because it runs at the system level, it can access on-device data. It can control device settings. It can read onscreen content. This deep integration could set it apart from competitors.
A Possible Siri Redesign
iOS 27 may also refresh Siri’s look. While details remain scarce, rumors tied to Apple’s tabletop robot project hint at a more animated design. The updated Siri could resemble the Mac Finder logo in motion. If so, the new look may extend to both iPhone and iPad.
Core AI Framework for Developers
Apple plans to replace Core ML with a new Core AI framework. This change will give developers easier tools to integrate AI models into their apps. As a result, third-party apps may gain smarter features that align with Apple’s system-level AI push.
Liquid Glass Refinements
iOS 27 will likely refine the Liquid Glass design introduced in iOS 26. Apple already made adjustments in iOS 26.1 and iOS 26.2. However, iOS 27 gives the company room for broader visual updates.
AI in Calendar and Health
Apple may add AI features to the Calendar app. Although details remain limited, the goal likely centers on smarter scheduling and planning.
The company once planned a full Health+ subscription service powered by AI. That plan has scaled back. Still, parts of it may arrive in iOS 27. Health+ was expected to offer detailed health reports, video explanations of medical conditions, and personalized wellness advice.
Satellite Expansion
Apple continues to expand satellite capabilities for the iPhone. Some features may arrive in 2027. However, timing depends on updates from Apple’s satellite partner Globalstar.
Rumored satellite features include:
- Apple Maps via satellite
- Photos in Messages via satellite
- A satellite API framework for third-party apps
- Satellite over 5G
- Satellite connectivity without a direct view of the sky
Certain features may require new hardware. Others, such as Apple Maps via satellite, could work with existing components.
Performance, Stability, and Battery Life
Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman described iOS 27 as a Snow Leopard-style release. That term signals a focus on performance and stability. Apple is cleaning up old code and removing outdated components. The company may also rewrite features for better efficiency.
These changes could deliver faster response times and smoother performance. More importantly, efficiency gains may lead to better battery life.
Release Timeline
Apple will preview iOS 27 in June at WWDC 2026. The public release will follow in September. The launch will align with new iPhone models and likely introduce the iPhone Fold to the world.
If Apple executes well, iOS 27 could mark a turning point. It blends new hardware, deeper AI integration, and core performance improvements.
