Apple has outlined a series of feature updates arriving with iOS 27, following the big announcements about Siri AI and Apple Intelligence at WWDC 2026.
The updates include AI-powered bill splitting in Apple Wallet, time-limited location sharing in Find My, Local Lists in Apple Maps, expanded lyrics 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 Lists and New Find My Location-Sharing Controls
Apple is updating Flyover, the immersive 3D city view feature, with improved visuals and smoother navigation. Apple Maps is also introducing Local Lists, a new feature that makes it easier to discover and save recommendations for restaurants, attractions, and other locations, based on trending 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 in sharing your location. You can choose how long to share it, from just a few minutes to several days, or until a specific date and time. Location sharing with individual contacts can also be paused temporarily 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 Splitting, 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 camera, and Apple Intelligence will identify the items, calculate each person’s share of taxes and tips, and handle repayment through Messages or Wallet.
Another update is the digitisation 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 Apple Watch through the Smart Stack.
Additionally, there is a redesigned hotel key experience that allows users to access trip details, activity schedules, service information, and real-time updates within Wallet at participating hotels and resorts.
Apple Pay now offers a redesigned checkout experience for online and app transactions. Users can switch between payment cards more easily while checking rewards, debit balances, and pay-later options. Later this year, they will be able to add funds directly to eligible debit cards through Wallet or during Apple Pay checkout.
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 pairings, offering English translations for songs in French, German, Italian, Korean, Spanish, and Japanese.
Lyrics Pronunciation, which provides phonetically transcribed lyrics for songs in languages that users may not speak, is adding five additional language options.
AutoMix, which helps create smoother transitions between songs, is being improved with more immersive mixes and is now available beyond iPhone, extending to Apple TV and HomePod. Apple Music subscribers can now enjoy Hi-Res Lossless Audio on Apple TV 4K through tvOS.
Podcast users now have the ability to search within individual shows. This feature allows users to look through 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 increasing popularity of video-first podcast content.
New iCloud Shared Albums Features and Apple Fitness+ Program
Shared Albums now offer several new features. You can share full-resolution photos and support for additional file types.
- Emoji reactions are available, and activity feeds have been improved. There’s a new per-album activity view that shows updates specific to each album.
- Temporary albums are now included, allowing short-term projects and events without permanently taking up iCloud storage. Additionally, web access has been introduced for users on non-Apple devices to contribute photos.
Apple Fitness+ is introducing Strong Through Menopause, a three-week program that offers guided Yoga and Strength workouts designed for people experiencing perimenopause and menopause.
Additionally, a new episode of Time to Walk features actor Busy Philipps sharing her personal experiences with perimenopause.
Availability of iOS 27
All features are now accessible to developers through the Apple Developer Program. A public beta will be available next month. The complete iOS 27 release is planned for this fall, with Siri AI launching separately in beta for English users later in the year.
Some Siri AI features may have different rollout timings in the European Union due to Digital Markets Act requirements.
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