Apple’s next major update for iOS may make one of the versions The iPhoneThe most important apps feel the most personal.
The company plans to overhaul the iPhone’s camera app in iOS 27 with a completely customizable interface, according to a Tuesday report from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. You’ll reportedly be able to decide which camera tools appear on the screen and where they sit, including controls for lighting, exposure, timer and adjustments.
That can be especially useful for people who use the iPhone as a point-and-shoot camera. Instead of digging through settings or working around Apple’s default layout, you might be able to build a camera interface around the tools you actually use (get that Shared Library button out there!).
The report follows earlier rumors that Apple was preparing to expand Visual Intelligence in iOS 27 with Siri mode within the camera app. These changes are part of the scope iOS 27 redesign that can affect Siri, Search, Safari, Weather, Photo Gallery and more.
Apple is expected to launch iOS 27 in WWDC26which will run online from June 8 to 12, with a special in-person event at Apple Park on June 8.
Here’s what might change.
A customizable camera app
Bloomberg reports that the Camera app will still open with standard default controls, such as resolution, night mode, flash and live photos, but you’ll be able to switch to a more advanced set of options or choose your own controls. Each shooting mode will have its own set of controls at the top of the screen, which Bloomberg says Apple calls “widgets.”
In picture mode, advanced mode is said to include widgets for depth of field and exposure, with available controls organized into categories such as basic, manual and settings. These widgets are actually small camera controls that you can place at the top of the interface, unlike the large widgets that reside on the iPhone’s home and lock screens.
Apple is reportedly moving the button that reveals all available controls from the top right corner of the Camera interface to a new location next to the shutter button.
The camera app can get a new Siri mode. That mode will reportedly tap into Apple’s Visual Intelligence features, making it easier to identify objects, translate text or get information about something in the camera’s viewfinder.
Siri may look and act like a chatbot
Siri may be entering the kind of overhaul Apple has been promising for years.
Bloomberg reports that Apple is rebuilding Siri in iOS 27 to act as an always-on AI agent, capable of using personal data and taking action across applications. This new version will also support back-and-forth text conversations, bringing Siri closer to the AI chat apps people already use.
A redesigned Siri may stay partially in place Dynamic Islandthe pill-shaped interface Apple introduced with iPhone 14 Pro in 2022. When activated, Siri is said to appear as a large animation at the top of the screen. Users can also swipe down from the top of the iPhone’s center to open a new “Search or Ask” bar, which can handle Siri queries, system searches and third-party AI options like ChatGPT and Google Gemini.
Bloomberg also says Siri could get a standalone app for the first time, with past conversations displayed in a grid and an “Ask Siri” input bar for new questions.
More iOS 27 changes are reportedly coming
Beyond the camera and Siri, Apple is reportedly planning design changes across several apps.
Safari may get a new home page with tabs for favorites, bookmarks, reading list and history. Weather can add a new Conditions panel that makes it easy to view rain, wind and other data without having to jump to another page. A photo playgroundApple’s next-generation graphics app, it’s also expected to get a clean interface and lifelike graphics models.
Across the board, Apple is reportedly tweaking the bottom navigation bars for apps including Podcasts, TV, Music, Life and News, wrapping search back into the app’s main row of tabs. The iPhone keyboard may also get new animations, and you can get undo and redo controls when customizing the home screen.
Apple has not announced iOS 27 yet, and Bloomberg said an Apple spokesperson declined to comment. Apple did not immediately respond to CNET’s request for comment.
But with WWDC less than a month away, the report gives a clear picture of what Apple may be emphasizing this year: not just new AI features, but a flexible iPhone interface that you can mold to your phone’s usage.
