Next year's iOS update may be lacking in major changes - except for new AI features, according to Mark Gurman's latest Power On newsletter for Bloomberg.
The transition from the current iOS 26 to next year's iOS 27 will apparently focus on "quality improvements and artificial intelligence features," Gurman says. He goes on to describe it as a "Snow Leopard-style update." That refers to how Apple followed up 2007's macOS X Leopard — a major software update for Apple's desktops and laptops — with a smaller one focused on refinement for the user, rather than adding even more features.
Apple apparently hasn't tried such an update with iOS or iPadOS yet because of the pace of change in the smartphone and tablet markets.
Yet iOS 26 was one of the biggest changes to the look and feel of the iPhone ever, and so next year we can apparently expect a smaller set of changes for the iPhone's software, as well as the iPad, Mac and other devices.
Gurman expects Apple to address major bugs, like visual glitches, overheating or excessive battery use with iOS 27, and also use it as a platform to prepare for new rumored products like the iPhone Fold. But in terms of new toys, AI changes are Apple's biggest focus.
iOS 27 will try to crack iPhone AI (again)
While the long-awaited rework of Siri should still come as part of iOS 26.4 rather than iOS 27, the next generation of iOS will still apparently get new features like the previously rumored AI health agent and AI web search.
Gurman also explains that an Apple chatbot exists, but currently only as a testing tool for Siri. Gurman believes this technology could see a public release in some form down the line, however.
Supposedly underpinning all of this will be Apple's partnership with Google and its Gemini AI. This may not be noticeable in the OS itself — don't expect to see Google logos plastered over everything — but it will, in theory, give Apple Intelligence the boost it needs to catch up with the AI features on the other best phones.
Tim ain't Cooked yet
Elsewhere in the newsletter, Gurman discusses how Apple CEO Tim Cook won't be leaving the company quite as soon as expected.
There has been talk of Cook stepping down — and Apple's plans for what to do after that — for years at this point. But a recent Financial Times story claimed that Cook was specifically going to retire by the end of the first half of 2026.
Gurman believes these claims were inaccurate. Barring any surprises, he expects Cook to remain in charge past this point.
It's still believed that John Ternus, SVP of hardware engineering (whom TG editor-in-chief Mark Spoonauer spoke to recently about the iPhone 17 series and iPhone Air), will become Apple's new CEO.
As Gurman explains, he is already an established Apple exec who is apparently well-liked by Cook and influential ex-executive Jeff Williams, and has the advantage of being young compared to the rest of Apple's senior team — meaning there's hopefully no need to find another successor any time soon.
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