Apple’s next major iPhone software update may not come with a flashy redesign this time, but early reports suggest it could still be a significant release. According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, iOS 27 could be about polishing the basics as well as pushing Apple deeper into artificial intelligence, a combination that could quietly set the stage for future hardware changes. Gurman says the company is preparing an update that behaves like the old Snow Leopard era on Macs, when Apple held off on headline-grabbing features and focused on cleaning up the system. Apparently that approach is back. Here’s everything you need to know about it.

iOS 27 leaked, said to get major upgrades

With iOS 27, the idea is to tune performance, smooth out animations, fix long-standing bugs, and remove old code that has been accumulating due to constant feature additions over the years. This change did not come from nowhere. Although iOS 26 has not seen any mass complaints, many users have still shared issues ranging from random crashes to unstable transitions and occasional heating. It seems Apple wants to use iOS 27 to wipe the slate clean and strengthen the foundation before moving forward with major product changes, including future foldable iPhones.

But this won’t be a completely maintenance-focused release. Gurman says Apple plans to pursue new AI capabilities, and this is one area the company is not backing down from. The next version of iOS is said to expand Apple Intelligence to more apps, add deeper machine-learning tools, and introduce a new health-focused AI agent next year. The tool is reportedly linked to a new Health+ subscription service that will provide personalized insights and wellness guidance.

iOS 27 may also mark the next phase of Apple’s Siri improvements. The Assistant is already set for an upgrade in iOS 26.4, but the bigger change will likely appear in next year’s software, driven partly by improved Apple Intelligence models and technology obtained through Apple’s partnership with Google’s Gemini team. Internally, Apple is also testing a chatbot-style app to refine the underlying technology. However the company does not intend to release it as a standalone product.

Interestingly, this same “quality first” mentality applies to macOS 27 as well. Apple is reportedly cleaning its Mac software just as deeply, while also adding new AI features where needed. Early developer betas of iOS 27, macOS 27, and other platform updates are expected shortly after WWDC next June.

If Apple sticks to this approach, next year’s updates may seem cool on the surface, but could quietly prepare iPhones and Macs for faster, more consistent, and bigger AI pushes. For users who have been asking Apple to fix minor bugs instead of adding more features every year, iOS 27 could finally be that reset moment.