Apple’s upcoming iOS 27 update will bring a range of new features and enhancements to its core applications, extending beyond the recently announced Siri AI and Apple Intelligence. The update includes significant improvements to Apple Wallet, Find My, and Apple Maps, aiming to offer users more convenience and functionality.
Enhanced Everyday Apps
Apple Maps is set to receive a visual refresh with an improved “Flyover” feature, offering more detailed 3D views of cities and landmarks with smoother navigation. A new “Local Lists” functionality will allow users to discover and save trending recommendations for restaurants and attractions, potentially competing with third-party services. The Find My app will gain more flexibility in location sharing, enabling users to set custom durations for sharing their location, ranging from a few minutes to a specific date and time. Users will also be able to temporarily pause location sharing with individual contacts.
Apple Wallet is positioned for a substantial upgrade. A key new feature will allow users to scan receipts with their iPhone camera to automatically split bills with friends via Apple Cash. This functionality, powered by Apple Intelligence, can identify items, calculate individual shares including taxes and tips, and facilitate direct payments through Messages or Wallet. Additionally, Wallet will support the digitization of physical membership and loyalty cards, with saved passes accessible on Apple Watch. Travelers will benefit from an updated hotel key experience, allowing them to unlock rooms and access trip details, schedules, and real-time updates directly within Wallet.
Apple Pay and Media Updates
The Apple Pay experience is being redesigned for online and in-app checkouts, enabling easier card swapping and displaying rewards balances, debit account balances, and pay-later options. Later this year, users will be able to add funds directly to eligible debit cards. For merchants, Apple is introducing “Tap to Share” to expand “Tap to Pay” on iPhone, allowing customers to securely share information like loyalty accounts and shipping addresses with participating merchants.
Apple Music is expanding its “Lyrics Translation” feature to support seven additional language pairings and introducing “Lyrics Pronunciation” for phonetic lyric display across five new language pairings. The “AutoMix” feature, designed for smoother song transitions, is being enhanced and will extend to Apple TV and HomePod. Apple Music subscribers on Apple TV 4K will also gain access to Hi-Res Lossless Audio.
Podcast listeners will see a new “search within show” feature for specific episodes across multiple Apple devices and the web. Video podcasts are also coming to Mac and Apple TV. Furthermore, the Fitness+ service will introduce a new three-week program called “Strong Through Menopause,” focusing on Yoga and Strength workouts, alongside a new “Time to Walk” episode featuring actor Busy Philipps.
These features are currently available for developers to test, with a public beta expected next month.
Norman Pearlstine is the Chief Editor of News Raise and focuses on Business news. His responsibility is to oversee the editorial content including business, commodities, personal investments and the stock market.
