Apple Intelligence Overhaul: New AI Features Coming to iOS 27

At WWDC 2026, Apple unveiled a major update to Apple Intelligence, aiming to deliver on promises made back in 2024. At that time, Apple touted a big leap in AI on the iPhone, but many of the showcased features never materialized in the year of the announcement or in 2025. Now the company is trying to catch up and make its AI capabilities more competitive with rivals like Google Gemini.

One of the key changes is an update to Visual Intelligence. Previously tied to the Camera Control button, it allowed users to 'scan' the world around them and get information via neural networks. In iOS 27, it's integrated directly into the Camera app for easier access. Now the iPhone can recognize business cards and automatically add phone numbers and addresses to contacts, while a new Siri mode in the camera will read nutritional data from labels and transfer it to the Health app.

The Photos app also received notable improvements. Apple added three image editing tools: Extend fills in missing parts of the frame when expanding or changing the crop, Spatial Reframing lets users adjust the perspective of a photo, and Clean Up removes unwanted objects and fills the space with realistic details. According to Apple, these tools are meant to help quickly fix minor flaws in photos without complex manual editing.

Apple Intelligence is also coming to Shortcuts. Users will now be able to describe in plain language what automation they want, and Siri will build a multi-step workflow on its own. This could be one of the most practical updates in iOS 27, since many iPhone owners have long used Shortcuts but setting them up often takes time and an understanding of automation logic.

AI features are also expanding in system apps. Wallet will get intelligent bill splitting: users can scan a receipt, split items among friends, and send payment requests via Apple Cash. It will also allow creating digital versions of physical tickets, passes, or membership cards. In Calendar, Apple Intelligence will help create and edit events faster, simplifying meeting and schedule management.

Apple also updated its existing AI tools. Image Playground has become more efficient, generating custom wallpapers, invitations, and images from text prompts faster, and better understanding natural language edits. Genmoji and Writing Tools received improvements for more realistic emojis and text proofreading, including grammar. In Messages, Apple Intelligence will consider conversation context and show relevant information, while Apple emphasizes that personal data remains protected and is not shared with the company.

The new Apple Intelligence features will be available to developers starting June 8, 2026, with a public beta expected the following month and a full release planned for fall. User reactions are mixed: some feel Apple has finally made AI features unobtrusive and useful, while others admit they barely use AI on their iPhones. But with integration into the Camera, Photos, Wallet, Calendar, and Shortcuts, Apple Intelligence for the first time looks less like a collection of demo features and more like a tool that could genuinely be useful in daily smartphone use.