Apple has outlined a series of feature updates coming with iOS 27, following big announcements about Siri AI and Apple Intelligence at WWDC 2026.
Updates include AI-powered bill splitting in Apple Wallet, limited-time location sharing in Find My, local listings in Apple Maps, expanded lyric translation in Apple Music, as well as improvements to Podcasts and iCloud shared albums.
Developers can now test these features through the Apple Developer Program. A public beta is expected next month, with the full release of iOS 27 scheduled for this fall.
Apple Maps local listings and new Find My Location location sharing controls
Apple is updating Flyover, its immersive 3D city view feature, with improved visuals and smoother navigation. Apple Maps also introduces Local Lists, a new feature that makes it easy to discover and save recommendations for restaurants, attractions, and other locations, based on hot spots in the area.
These updates position Apple Maps as a more direct competitor to Google Maps, as well as platforms like Instagram and TikTok for local discovery.
Find My offers more flexibility for sharing your location. You can choose how long to share it, from a few minutes to several days, or up to a specific date and time. Location sharing with individual contacts can also be temporarily paused until the end of the day.
These updates are aimed at scenarios like keeping a surprise event private without revealing your location to certain contacts.
Apple Wallet Bill Split, Apple Pay Changes, and Apple Music/Podcasts Updates
Apple Wallet is adding several new features. One is AI-powered bill splitting: Simply scan a receipt with your iPhone’s camera and Apple Intelligence will identify the items, calculate each person’s share of tax and tips, and handle payment through Messages or Wallet.
Another update is the digitization of membership and loyalty cards: point your iPhone at a barcode or scan a digital card to save it directly to Wallet. Support for this also extends to the Apple Watch via Smart Stack.
Additionally, there is a redesigned hotel key experience that allows users to access trip details, activity schedules, amenity information and real-time updates within Wallet at participating hotels and resorts.
Apple Pay now offers a redesigned payment experience for online and in-app transactions. Users can switch between payment cards more easily while checking rewards, debit balances, and pay later options. Later this year, they’ll be able to add funds directly to eligible debit cards through Wallet or during checkout with Apple Pay.
For merchants, Apple is expanding Tap to Pay with a new feature called Tap to Share. Customers can share information such as loyalty accounts, shipping addresses and contact details by tapping to connect with participating merchants.
Lyrics Translation is expanding to include seven new language combinations, offering English translations of French, German, Italian, Korean, Spanish and Japanese songs.
Lyrics Pronunciation, which provides phonetically transcribed lyrics for songs in languages users may not speak, is adding five additional language options.
AutoMix, which helps create smoother transitions between songs, is being enhanced with more immersive mixes and is now available beyond the iPhone, extending to Apple TV and HomePod. Apple Music subscribers can now enjoy high-resolution lossless audio on Apple TV 4K via tvOS.
Podcast users now have the ability to search within individual shows. This feature allows users to watch episodes of a specific podcast on iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Vision Pro, and the web.
Additionally, video podcasts are available on Mac and Apple TV, reflecting the growing popularity of video podcast content.
New iCloud Shared Albums and Apple Fitness+ Program Features
Shared albums now offer several new features. You can share full resolution photos and support additional file types.
- Emoji reactions are available and activity feeds have been improved. There’s a new activity view by album that shows updates specific to each album.
- Temporary albums are now included, allowing for short-term projects and events without permanently taking up iCloud storage. Additionally, web access has been introduced for users of non-Apple devices to contribute photos.
Apple Fitness+ introduces Strong Through Menopause, a three-week program offering guided yoga and strength workouts designed for people experiencing perimenopause and menopause.
Additionally, a new episode of Time to Walk features actress Busy Philipps sharing her personal experiences with perimenopause.
iOS 27 Availability
Developers can now access all features through the Apple Developer Program. A public beta will be available next month. iOS 27 is scheduled for full release this fall, and Siri AI will launch separately in beta for English users later this year.
Some Siri AI features may have different implementation times in the European Union due to Digital Markets Act requirements.
