iOS 27: Is Apple planning an AI leap that we can’t imagine!

Apple has just managed to release iOS 26.1 this week, but the Cupertino-based technology company is already preparing the next significant step in its artificial intelligence history. And you may be wondering, "Didn't Apple just introduce Apple Intelligence? You're not wrong. It did. However, a recent Bloomberg story by Mark Gurman says that Apple is not slowing down. The second major innovation, iOS 27, is emerging as one of the most daring AI transformations that the iPhone has ever been in. It is believed to be announced during WWDC 2026, and it will be accompanied by the new macOS and watchOS releases, along with other platforms in the Apple ecosystem.

iOS 27: A bigger, smarter Apple Intelligence

According to the Power On newsletter by Mark Gurman, iOS 27 has significant additions to the AI hybrid system, Apple Intelligence, which has been introduced earlier this year as a part of iOS 18 (and has been expanded in iOS 26). Although the precise features are kept as a secret, the phrasing itself is an indication of something. In lieu of minor enhancements, Apple seems to be expanding the portfolio of on-equipment and cloud-based AI, incorporating it more deeply into the user experience.

That may imply a smarter Siri that can perform more than just basic task execution - one that can engage in actual conversation and can anticipate the contextual context. Think of Siri writing an email on its own on the basis of your calendar appointments, or summarising the content of a complete message chain in an intelligent manner without you having to request it. The emphasis on AI privacy-sensitive computing, performed physically on the Neural Engine, will probably be expanded in the future, but Gurman is speculative that additional features will make use of the secure and safe cloud processing of Apple to perform more complex generative AI operations like image generation, writing tips, and code completion.

iOS 27: Bridging the gap between promise and reality

At the time of the launch of Apple Intelligence, the reaction was ambivalent. Preliminary reviewers lauded the combination of additions such as AI-based proofreading, autofilling of messages, prioritisation of notifications, and creating custom emojis, but many end users said that the system was less sophisticated than what would be experienced in offerings of OpenAI or the Gemini suite of Google.

Apple appears to be intensely conscious of this lapse. The company seems to be poised to present the so-called maturity phase of Apple Intelligence, in which Apple AI ceases to be a novelty and becomes a silent productivity engine across the apps, in iOS 27.

The hardware foundation is more than competent as in the case of the iPhone 16 Pro and M3 MacBook Air, Apple already has chips that can perform up to 38 trillion AI operations per second, and these numbers are already impressive. According to the report by Gurman, it will be iOS 27 when software will realise the AI capabilities of the Apple Silicon.

Before iOS 27: Siri’s big upgrade arrives in iOS 26.4

The patience of significant change will not go that far to 2026. Gurman says a much-needed Siri overhaul will be brought by iOS 26.4, which is set to be released in spring 2026.

• Better natural language processing - Siri will better grasp the nuance and intent like in the past.

• More advanced control at the app-level - The users will be capable of using multi-step commands such as Edit the last photo and share it in Notes.

• Quick response, context-sensitive - Siri will take time, location, and context of apps into account before responding.

Simply put, the ten-year-old assistant will be receiving a real AI brain that will operate off the same basic models as the Apple Intelligence. The upgrade will be released first in beta mode where developers and early testers have the opportunity to test the new features before it becomes widely used.

The road ahead

The active AI plan that Apple has won’t only be a matter of remaining relevant; it is a matter of defining the confidence of a user in AI systems. Although other companies such as Google or Samsung are in the process of trying to incorporate the concept of generative use of cloud services, Apple has taken a distinct competitive advantage by focusing on on-device intelligence with tight privacy barriers.

iOS 27 is bigger than a release, it is a statement that AI should be everywhere on the iPhone, however, on Apple's conditions, it must be a personal, safe, and well-established space. The first wave of Apple Intelligence was concerned with the introduction of AI, whereas the second wave is probably going to be associated with its perfection (less like an assistant and more like a co-pilot being integrated into daily activities).

Going by the report by Gurman, WWDC 2026 might be the point at which Apple reenters the realm of AI, i.e. when Siri becomes smart, and iPhone turns as smart as it is intuitive.

Disclaimer: The information regarding the gadgets/devices listed in the table and article has been sourced from various secondary sources. For detailed product specifications, please refer to the brand sources.