ZDNET Key Takeaways The general release of iOS 27 is almost here. It has many improvements, such as recomposing photographs. It also optimizes application launches and improves performance. Apple has announced that iOS 27 will be released to all users with a supported iPhone model next week. Plus: Live updates from the Apple 2026 event: the first foldable iPhone and more in real time. From Siri AI to advanced photo editing, iOS 27 is a much bigger update than iOS 26. While iOS 26 focused heavily on the look and feel of Liquid Glass, the new iOS 27 delivers the features we’ve been waiting for, along with key performance improvements to existing hardware. iOS 27 Release Date iOS 27 will officially be released to the general public on Monday, September 14. Whether you have an iPhone 12 or 17 Pro Max, iOS 27 includes new features in Siri, photo editing, FaceTime calling, and more, as well as an optimized rendering experience that will make your existing device work better. Plus: Handy iPhone Duo: The $2,000 foldable model has some magical touches. Here are some new iPhone features you can try out once you update to the latest software version. 1. Draw directly in Messages With iOS 27, users can draw in the Messages app using the Apple Markup tool, replacing the rudimentary drawing tool it previously featured. This can be accessed in the Messages window by tapping the plus sign in a conversation and choosing Drawing. 2. Large widget space Instead of limiting yourself to a couple of widget sizes, Apple has added the largest widget size in iOS 27, giving you more customization power for your home page. Large widgets take up almost the entire home screen tab, making it easy to see all the information you need at a glance. Also: Do you want iOS 27 on day one? Don’t skip this last minute iPhone update. While other apps catch up with Apple’s new widget size, you can try it out with native Apple apps as soon as you update to iOS 27. 3. Show both sides during a FaceTime call Dual Capture, a feature that initially stumped many iPhone users after launch, is coming to FaceTime. In the Camera app, the Dual Capture feature lets you record video from the front and rear cameras simultaneously, making it easy to capture your facial expressions and reactions, as well as your surroundings. Plus: How to watch Apple’s iPhone 2026 event and 4 surprises we could see today As the ultimate “wish I was here” feature, Dual Capture in FaceTime lets you talk to someone on a video call while also showing them the environment around you. 4. Create more realistic images Image Playground got a significant improvement that makes your images more realistic than before. Let’s be honest, Apple is the slowest big tech company in the field of AI, and their AI generated images are easy to spot in “real or AI” games, so this update to Image Playground is much needed. Plus: Apple’s Upgrade Program Explained: Is Leasing an iPhone Right for You? Thanks to improvements to a new generative model, Image Playground can now generate more photorealistic images than before, as well as supporting photo-based AI editing. Like most major AI image generators, Image Playground images carry a SynthID to mark them as AI generated using AI detection systems. 5. Split the bill with a photo of a receipt Apple Cash has made splitting bills easier since its launch in 2017, and the Apple Wallet feature is only getting better thanks to AI. With Apple Intelligence, iPhone users only need to point their iPhone camera at a receipt using Siri, Wallet, or Messages mode. Also: Is the Apple Watch 12 worth upgrading? My advice as a Series 10 and 11 owner. The phone will then scan the receipt and allow you to select the items you consumed, calculating how much you owe for your portion of food, including tax. You can also include a tip (or a portion of it) and then reimburse your generous friend for their meal. 6. Recompose a photo in a post You can reframe and change the composition of a photo even after you’ve taken it, thanks to the spatial reframing feature in the Photos app. This allows you to recompose an image by expanding it or changing its point of view using generative AI, which can create content outside the boundaries of the original image. Also: I’ll skip the iPhone 18 this year, but the foldable Duo? I love you so much 7. Be more in control of what your kids are doing iOS 27 introduces a new Ask to Explore feature that requires kids to ask for permission to access new websites, taking the burden off parents of creating a list of approved websites. This feature allows children to request access to new websites and gives you the opportunity to review them before approving them. Requests reach parents through Messages, just as they do when children request a new app. Also: As a parent, I’m beyond excited about iOS 27’s child safety features — how they’re better now. You can also access parental controls more easily with an improved menu and set up allowed apps with less hassle. Apple also added a filter for violent or gory content that warns viewers when an image is inappropriate and gives them the option to opt out. 8. Improved Processing Efficiency Apple introduced small tweaks with iOS 27 that improve the processing and networking performance of existing devices. According to the company, iOS 27 helps apps load 30% faster, new photos load 70% faster in your library, and AirDrop transfers between devices are up to 80% faster. Plus: After years with an Apple Watch, a ‘downgrade’ of the Pebble Time 2 was exactly what I needed. iOS 27 also helps create smoother network transitions, so your iPhone can choose the best-detected network and seamlessly switch to it without you missing a beat. 9. Ask Siri for more The long-awaited Siri improvements are finally coming with iOS 27, although Apple says that will happen later this year. After years of discussion, Apple is giving Siri generative AI capabilities, making the assistant more capable, articulate and helpful. Siri AI will be able to understand personal context through data in apps like Messages, Mail, Photos, and Notes, processing what’s on your screen to maintain a natural conversation with you and perform actions across multiple apps. Also: I tested iOS 26 Siri against iOS 27 Siri AI in my car, and it wasn’t even close. Right now, Siri has a demand-response format that processes isolated requests and regurgitates predefined responses. With generative AI, Siri will be able to understand natural conversations, multiple commands, and open-ended questions. This means you’ll be able to search your photo library by asking Siri to find pictures from the trip to the lake or the first day of school. Siri AI will launch later this year and will initially only be available in English. María Díaz is an editor passionate about home automation, smart home devices and tablets. With experience in graphic design, photography and film, he has a degree in Mass Communication and experience in journalism and film. See full biography
