Early look at iOS 27: compatible devices, performance upgrades, Apple Intelligence, foldable iPhone support, and the expected 2026 release timeline details.
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Although iOS 26 is only beginning to gather momentum, early whispers about the next major release are already surfacing. iOS 27 is slated as Apple’s fall 2026 update, and—as is typical—the company is working on it well ahead of time. Here’s what is known so far.
The official list of devices eligible for iOS 27 hasn’t been announced, but it can be roughly inferred from iOS 26 compatibility. That roster currently spans: iPhone 17 / 17 Pro / 17 Pro Max (2025); iPhone Air (2025); iPhone 16e (2025); iPhone 16 / 16 Plus / 16 Pro / 16 Pro Max (2024); iPhone 15 / 15 Plus / 15 Pro / 15 Pro Max (2023); iPhone 14 / 14 Plus / 14 Pro / 14 Pro Max (2022); iPhone SE 3 (2022); iPhone 13 / 13 mini / 13 Pro / 13 Pro Max (2021); iPhone 12 / 12 mini / 12 Pro / 12 Pro Max (2020); iPhone SE 2 (2020); iPhone 11 / 11 Pro / 11 Pro Max (2019).
By age alone, the iPhone 11 family is on the brink of falling off the list. If Apple does end support, that would amount to six years of updates—still a solid run by Apple’s own standards.
According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, iOS 27 is being positioned much like Mac OS X Snow Leopard. In that cycle, Apple largely stepped back from headline-grabbing features to focus on optimization, code cleanup, stability, and speed. iOS 27 is expected to follow a similar path: fewer marquee additions, more polish, smoother performance, and fewer bugs. A release that prioritizes day-to-day reliability over flash tends to pay dividends for users.
Even with a performance-first approach, Apple plans to keep pushing Apple Intelligence—the enhanced AI layer spanning Siri and built-in apps. The expectations include a revamped Siri, broader generative AI capabilities, computation on Apple’s servers using a customized Google Gemini model, and deeper integration of smart features across iOS, iPadOS, and macOS. Details remain limited, but insiders point to this as the most consequential track within iOS 27. If the effort translates into practical assistance rather than demos, that’s where users will really notice the change.
Apple is reportedly preparing its first foldable iPhone for a 2026 debut. A model with a 5.5‑inch external screen and a 7.8‑inch internal display would require rethinking the interface, gestures, and app behavior. iOS 27 may introduce adaptive UI elements, new multitasking modes, and animations tuned for a folding screen. There are no concrete leaks yet, and more specifics could surface at WWDC 2026 in June. If timelines hold, the software groundwork needs to start early.
If Apple follows its usual cadence: WWDC 2026 should land in the first or second week of June; the first beta builds could arrive on June 1 or June 8; a final release is roughly targeted for September 14, 2026.