Gurman shares final iOS 27 expectations ahead of WWDC next week

Reliable Bloomberg journalist Mark Gurman has shared his final expectations for iOS 27 ahead of Apple’s WWDC26 keynote on Monday, where the company is expected to unveil iOS 27, iPadOS 27, macOS 27, watchOS 27, visionOS 27, and tvOS 27.

According to Gurman, iOS 27 will focus heavily on performance improvements, reliability, and bug fixes rather than introducing major visual changes. However, Apple is still making a number of interface refinements. One of those changes includes a new animation for incoming notifications, which will reportedly slide in from the left side of the display. The change aligns with a revised gesture system, where swiping down from the left opens Notification Center, while swiping down from the centre of the screen launches Search or Apple’s new AI assistant interface.

Gurman also says Apple is planning a subtle redesign of the Find My app, including refreshed icons throughout the navigation bar. The company is also said to be testing natural language photo editing tools that would allow users to make changes using voice or text commands, such as cropping an image or adjusting colours. The feature may not be ready for the initial release of iOS 27 and could arrive in a later update.

One of the biggest additions expected in iOS 27 is Apple’s next-generation Siri experience. Gurman says Siri is set to receive its largest overhaul ever, with a new AI-powered foundation that will make the assistant significantly more capable. Expected improvements include a more conversational chatbot-style interface, Dynamic Island integration, broader world knowledge, the ability to perform multiple actions from a single request, expanded support for third-party AI services, and the long-awaited App Intents, onscreen awareness, and personal context features Apple previously announced.

Image: Bloomberg

Apple is also reportedly preparing a new bill-splitting feature tied to Apple Cash. The feature would allow users to photograph a receipt, assign individual items to different people, and automatically generate payment requests. The tool would calculate each person’s share of the bill, including tax and gratuity, and could be accessed through both the Wallet and Messages apps. Bloomberg reports the feature will also integrate with Apple Watch.

Another change reportedly in development is a more advanced version of Liquid Glass customisation. Currently, iOS 26 offers two systemwide appearance options: Clear and Tinted. Clear delivers the full transparent Liquid Glass effect, while Tinted significantly reduces transparency. Gurman says Apple originally planned to offer a slider that would let users fine-tune the amount of transparency and contrast throughout the operating system.

According to Gurman, Apple successfully implemented a similar control for the Lock Screen clock but faced engineering challenges when attempting to expand the feature across the Home Screen, folders, navigation bars, and other system elements. If Apple can overcome those challenges, iOS 27 could introduce a much more flexible way for users to personalise the appearance of Liquid Glass.

While iOS 27 is not expected to bring a dramatic redesign, Gurman says Apple is planning several smaller interface adjustments throughout the system. He believes the company is entering a period of gradual refinement, similar to the years that followed the launch of iOS 7.

Apple will officially unveil iOS 27 during its WWDC26 keynote on Monday at 10 a.m. PT / 1 p.m. ET.