iOS 27 Could Give Your iPhone a Custom Camera App and a ChatGPT-Like Siri, Finally

Apple’s next big iOS update could make one of the iPhone‘s most important apps feel a lot more personal.

The company is planning to overhaul the iPhone’s Camera app in iOS 27 with a fully customizable interface, according to a Tuesday report from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. You would reportedly be able to decide which camera tools appear on-screen and where they sit, including controls for flash, exposure, the timer and resolution.

That could be especially useful for people who use the iPhone as more than a casual point-and-shoot camera. Instead of digging through settings or working around Apple’s default layout, you may be able to build a camera interface around the tools you actually use (get that Shared Library button out of there!).

The report follows earlier rumors that Apple was preparing to expand Visual Intelligence in iOS 27 with a Siri mode inside the Camera app. These changes are part of a broader iOS 27 redesign that could touch Siri, Search, Safari, Weather, Image Playground and more.

Apple is expected to unveil iOS 27 at WWDC26, which will run online from June 8 to 12, with an in-person special event at Apple Park on June 8.

Here’s what may be changing.

A more customizable Camera app

Bloomberg reports that the Camera app will still open with familiar default controls, such as resolution, night mode, flash and Live Photos, but you will be able to switch to a more advanced set of options or pick your own controls. Each capture mode would have its own set of controls at the top of the screen, which Bloomberg says Apple calls “widgets.”

In Photo mode, the advanced mode is said to include widgets for depth of field and exposure, with the available controls organized into categories such as basic, manual and settings. These widgets are essentially small Camera controls that you can place at the top of the interface, unlike the larger widgets that live on the iPhone’s home and lock screens. 

Apple is also reportedly moving the button that reveals all available controls from the top-right corner of the Camera interface to a new spot near the shutter button.

The Camera app may also get a new Siri mode. That mode would 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 more like a chatbot

Siri may be in for the kind of overhaul Apple has been promising for years.

Bloomberg reports that Apple is rebuilding Siri in iOS 27 so it can act more like an always-on AI agent, with the ability to use personal data and take action across apps. The new version would also reportedly support more back-and-forth text conversations, bringing Siri closer to the AI chat apps people already use.

The redesigned Siri may live partly in the Dynamic Island, the pill-shaped interface area Apple introduced with the iPhone 14 Pro in 2022. When activated, Siri would reportedly appear as a large animation at the top of the screen. Users may also be able to swipe down from the top center of the iPhone to open a new “Search or Ask” bar, which could handle Siri queries, system search 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 queries.

Other iOS 27 changes reportedly coming

Beyond Camera and Siri, Apple is reportedly planning design changes across several apps. 

Safari may get a new start page with tabs for favorites, bookmarks, reading list and history. Weather could add a new Conditions panel that makes it easier to view rain, wind and other data without having to jump to another page. Image Playground, Apple’s image-generation app, is also expected to get a cleaner interface and more lifelike image models.

Systemwide, Apple is reportedly tweaking the bottom navigation bars in apps including Podcasts, TV, Music, Health and News, folding search back into the main row of app tabs. The iPhone keyboard may also get a new animation, and you could get undo and redo controls when customizing the home screen.

Apple hasn’t 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 offers a clearer picture of what Apple may emphasize this year: not just new AI features, but a more flexible iPhone interface you can shape to your phone’s use.