Apple didn’t mention these iOS 27 features during its iPhone event

Apple’s September event naturally concentrated on new hardware, leaving relatively little stage time for iOS 27 despite the software update arriving just days later.

That does not mean iOS 27 is short on changes. Apple first previewed the update at WWDC26, and several useful additions received little or no attention during this week’s iPhone presentation as the company focused on iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone Duo, Apple Watch and AirPods.

One of the easier features to overlook is AirPods Custom EQ. With supported AirPods, iOS 27 lets users adjust lows, mids and highs from AirPods settings, giving listeners more control over how their headphones sound without relying entirely on preset audio profiles.

Maps, Home and Photos have changes too

Apple Maps is getting an upgraded version of Flyover that combines aerial imagery with Visual Intelligence models to render finer details, including architectural features and individual trees. It is the kind of improvement that was never likely to command much time at an iPhone hardware event but should be noticeable in supported locations.

The Home app is also gaining more intelligence. iOS 27 can combine related smart-home activity notifications and provide descriptions of HomeKit Secure Video footage before it is watched. Users can also search compatible camera recordings based on what happened in a clip, while supported cameras can stream and record in 4K.

Photos includes AI-assisted editing additions such as Spatial Reframing and improvements to Clean Up. These sit alongside a much wider collection of changes that The Apple Post has covered in its 27 new features coming with iOS 27.

There are smaller improvements across the system

iOS 27 also brings GymKit directly to iPhone and AirPods Pro 3, allowing compatible cardio equipment to connect for more accurate workout metrics. Apple has made improvements to AirDrop transfer speeds, Mail search and the way iPhone moves between Wi-Fi and cellular networks, while continuing to refine the Liquid Glass interface.

Not every iOS 27 feature will be available on every compatible iPhone. Apple Intelligence has stricter hardware requirements than iOS 27 itself, and some capabilities vary by language or region.

Apple will release iOS 27 on Monday, September 14. The update supports iPhone 11 and later, meaning many users who have no plans to buy Apple’s new hardware will still get a substantial collection of changes next week.