This year’s WWDC keynote was all about AI. But with all the attention on Apple Intelligence and Siri AI, the company breezed by — or neglected to mention — a bunch of cool, smaller features across its new updates. I’ve rounded up a bunch of them right here.
44 things coming to your Apple devices that you might have missed
Siri and AI were the stars of the show, but they aren’t the only new things coming to your Apple gadgets.
Siri and AI were the stars of the show, but they aren’t the only new things coming to your Apple gadgets.
is a senior reporter covering technology, gaming, and more. He joined The Verge in 2019 after nearly two years at Techmeme.
The new operating systems are available in developer beta today ahead of public betas beginning in July. They’ll launch for everyone this fall. And keep an eye on The Verge in the coming days and weeks ahead; as everyone starts to really dig into what’s new, we might find even more great features to look forward to.
iOS 27
- Liquid Glass is getting an opacity slider.
- Apps launch up to 30 percent faster.
- AirDrop transfers happen up to 80 percent faster.
- Your iPhone will “more seamlessly” swap between Wi-Fi and cellular connections on the iPhone and iPad.
- A new ranking system in Mail will show the “most relevant results” up top.
- Messages will also load faster in Mail.
- On the iPhone 17, 17 Air, and 17 Pro, you’ll be able to use Dual Capture mode during FaceTime calls.
- You’ll be able to set an alarm volume that’s independent of your system’s volume.
- Your iPhone can automatically generate synced captions for the videos you watch.
- Apple Maps’ FlyOver feature is enhanced with “aerial imagery combined with Visual Intelligence models” to render objects in more detail.
- You can set a custom EQ for your AirPods. The feature is supported with the AirPods Max 2, AirPods Pro 3, and AirPods 4.
- The Home App, using Apple Intelligence, can combine “related” activity notifications.
- “Supported” HomeKit Secure Video cameras will be able to stream and record in 4K.
- Cycle tracking in the Apple Health app will be able to share notifications when cycle patterns are “suggestive of perimenopause.”
- The camera will launch faster in low power mode.
- You can now set up extra large widgets.
- If a message fails to send, iOS 27 can automatically retry sending it.
- You’ll be able to save a video frame as a photo.
- Apple will consolidate notifications for multiple tapbacks in messages.
- “Smoother unlocking,” though I have no idea what that actually means.
- Emoji and sticker keyboards will load faster.
macOS 27 Golden Gate
- Apple is promising a “more refined design with enhanced Liquid Glass, ensuring exceptional readability and greater consistency across apps.”
- Safari is getting tab groups and will be able to monitor pages and notify you of changes.
- “Better Spotlight search suggestions.”
- Support for ultrawide displays, up to 120Hz at 5K resolution.
- Swipe down in apps such as Safari and Mail to refresh them.
iPadOS 27
- Transferring files between an iPad and an external drive is “up to 5x faster.”
- Apple says the unread count in Messages will sync “more quickly and reliably” after you “return to your iPad after being away.”
- iPadOS 27 will also let iPads move “more seamlessly” between Wi-Fi and cellular connections.
watchOS 27
- watchOS 27 adds a “new dynamic app grid.”
- With a single tap gesture, you can open a Smart Stack widget.
- Workout Buddy will work even if your iPhone isn’t nearby.
- Workout Buddy is also available in Spanish.
- Apple is promising “even more accurate miles” when tracking indoor runs and walks.
- Music playback from your Apple Watch will start “faster.”
- Apple says that “the step count in the Fitness app syncs with steps counted in the Health app.” I’m surprised it didn’t work that way before?
- You’ll be able to make custom passes in the Wallet app for “any membership or card that uses a QR code.” (I saw this on the watchOS 27 features page, though I would hope that it’s available on Apple’s other platforms as well.)
visionOS 27
- Siri Ai can show up as a virtual glassy orb in your real-world surroundings.
- Windows can be curved.
- You can preview notifications just by looking at them.
- You can make a panorama photo a “spatial scene” to use as your virtual Personal Environment.
- Control Center has a new design.
- Your Vision Pro device can connect to Wi-Fi “up to three times faster.”
- There is now an extra small size for widgets.
- With Safari, you can look at 360-degree web experiences.
These are just a few of the things I spotted — and I haven’t even finished processing everything Apple listed in the image below, from the keynote video. What else caught your eye?
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