How iOS 28 is already shaping up to be a much bigger iPhone update than the iOS 27, report reveals

Apple is still weeks away from unveiling iOS 28 at the company's WWDC conference in Cupertino. However, a new report by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman suggests that the company has already begun working on next year's operating systems for iPhones, iPads, and MacBooks.

What is Apple planning with iOS 28?

Gurman notes that Apple is currently in the early stages of development for its 2028 software platforms. The Cupertino-based tech giant is said to be at a point where it is developing individual features, new apps, designs, and enhancements, but it has not yet gone to the level of pulling everything together into the operating system.

The report also notes that next year's iOS 28 is shaping up to be ‘far more significant’ than iOS 27.

Reportedly, the iOS 28 and iPadOS 28 updates are code-named Bell, while macOS 28 is codenamed “Poppy”. Employees are said to collectively refer to the software effort as "Boppy", a combination of the two codenames.

The stakes are said to be particularly high for iOS 28 because the software is expected to power Apple's 20th-anniversary iPhone.

What to expect from iOS 27?

Revamped Siri

Apple first unveiled its vision for a significantly upgraded Siri during the WWDC 2024 keynote. However, the rollout faced repeated delays, with reports suggesting the company's in-house AI models were unable to deliver the capabilities it had originally planned. As a result, Apple is said to have turned to Google, which is reportedly developing a customised Gemini model to power parts of Siri's next-generation experience.

Apple had initially showcased features that would allow Siri to understand a user's personal context, interpret what's displayed on the screen, and perform tasks across apps on the user's behalf. While those capabilities are still expected to arrive, reports indicate Apple has several additional Siri upgrades in the pipeline.

Dedicated Siri app

Among other notable additions in iOS 27 is expected to be a Siri app designed to function more like AI chatbots such as ChatGPT or Claude. The app is reportedly being developed with a dedicated voice mode toggle, the ability to recall previous conversations, and an option to automatically delete chat history, similar to Apple's Messages app. It is also expected to support uploading files, documents, and photos through a built-in attachment picker.

New Siri animations and Dynamic Island integration

According to a recent Bloomberg report, Siri could receive a visual overhaul in iOS 27, with Apple potentially hinting at some of these changes in its WWDC 2026 promotional artwork.

The report claims Siri will become more deeply integrated with the Dynamic Island on compatible iPhones. A new "Search or Ask" interface is said to appear when users swipe down from the top-centre of the display, providing quick access to Siri-powered actions and AI search tools.

Through this interface, users may be able to launch apps, send messages, create calendar events, search notes, trigger app shortcuts, check the weather, and browse the web using Apple's upcoming AI-powered search experience.

Search results are reportedly displayed as interactive rich-text cards that emerge from the Dynamic Island. Swiping down further could expand the experience into a full chatbot-style conversation, allowing users to continue interacting with Siri in a more natural, chat-based format.

Visual Intelligence coming to the Camera app

Bloomberg also reports that Apple is working on bringing Siri-powered Visual Intelligence features directly into the Camera app. Under the proposed system, users would be able to point their camera at products, landmarks, objects, or other real-world items and receive AI-generated information, potentially powered by third-party models such as ChatGPT and Google Gemini.

Alongside these AI additions, the Camera app is reportedly being redesigned with a stronger focus on customisation and advanced controls.

One of the biggest changes could involve the row of shortcuts that currently appears across camera modes. The report suggests Apple is developing a new "Add Widgets" menu that would let users personalise these controls, making it easier to surface frequently used features such as Night mode, timers, depth controls, and other professional camera settings.