With iOS 27 , Apple focused on making improvements to iOS performance, optimizing everything from system animations to AirDrop transfer speeds. iPhone performance is smoother and faster on all iPhones able to run ‌iOS 27‌, which includes the iPhone 11 and newer. There are over 80 ‌iOS 27‌ improvements Apple announced, with 10 of the most useful listed below. App Launching Apps launch up to 30 percent faster in ‌iOS 27‌, and that includes Apple's own apps and third-party apps. When you're opening apps dozens of times a day, less loading time adds up and makes the system feel faster. Apple says it tested the app launching speed improvements using an iPhone 11 Pro Max running iOS 26.4.2 and ‌iOS 27‌. Optimized CPU Scheduler iOS includes a CPU scheduler that manages computational resources across workloads as you use your iPhone. Apple says it optimized the CPU scheduler in ‌iOS 27‌ to more efficiently handle performance-intensive tasks. Apple extended CPU scheduler optimization all the way back to the iPhone 11, which is part of the reason even old iPhones feel faster with the update installed. Apple is often accused of making old iPhones slower with new iOS updates, but there are noticeable speed improvements in ‌iOS 27‌ so we likely won't hear that complaint this year. Better Wi-Fi to Cellular Transitions iPhones are better at determining when to transition from Wi-Fi to a cellular connection, and from a cellular connection to Wi-Fi. When you're connected to your home Wi-Fi and walk out the door, you'll see less connectivity loss as your device changes networks. Apple says the iPhone is better about choosing the best available Wi-Fi or cellular connection to help you stay connected. Rebuilt Search Index Apple rebuilt its search foundation in ‌iOS 27‌, giving Spotlight, Photos , Mail, and other apps a more comprehensive index of content that stays updated throughout the day. In the Mail app, there's a new ranking system that surfaces more relevant emails for search queries instead of listing results by date. You'll see up to five ranked Top Results now. Photo Load Time When you take a photo and then open up the ‌Photos‌ app, your just-captured image appears more quickly so you can edit it or share it. Apple says photos and videos load up to 70 percent faster in the ‌Photos‌ library, which it tested with a ‌Photos‌ app that had a 50,000-asset library. Waiting on a photo to unblur when you quickly swap over to the ‌Photos‌ app is a small annoyance, but cutting down on load time makes taking a photo feel much faster. Recent camera captures are also added more quickly in the Messages app photo picker. Automatic Message Resending When a message, photo, or video fails to send in iMessage, your iPhone will automatically retry sending it instead of throwing up a red exclamation point and forcing you to manually try again. Sending photos and videos when you have a poor connection also does not pause a Messages conversation while the content sends. Each photo or video has its own progress bar, and your texts will still go through while you wait for images and video to upload. Faster Camera Launch in Low Power Mode When you have Low Power Mode turned on, the Camera app can launch slowly. That's been fixed in ‌iOS 27‌, and it loads faster than before. The Camera also draws less power in Low Power Mode. Faster Keyboard Loading The emoji and sticker keyboards load more quickly, so there's no longer an irritating pause when you want to use an emoji. The keyboard is something you use frequently, so this is a time-saving improvement. Mail Badges If you're tired of unread Mail badges popping up when you have read all your emails, ‌iOS 27‌ addresses the issue. The Mail app badge is now less likely to show an inaccurate number of unread emails. Bluetooth Apple says it improved Bluetooth power management in ‌iOS 27‌, an update relevant to AirPods, Apple Watch, CarPlay , speakers, and other Bluetooth devices. Bluetooth accessories should draw less power for some minor improvements to battery life. Other Useful Improvements AirDrop transfers are up to 80 percent faster, and AirDrop is faster to find nearby recipients Text recognition in images and documents is quicker Safari has enhanced power efficiency and web apps are faster Unlocking an iPhone, scrolling through Home Screen pages and App Library, and scrolling in Control Center are all smoother The Lock Screen no longer goes to sleep when you're scrolling through notifications Wireless ‌CarPlay‌ is more reliable iOS 27 Launch ‌iOS 27‌ is being beta tested right now, and can be downloaded by developers and public beta testers. It will launch this fall alongside new iPhone models. Read More For more on the new features in ‌iOS 27‌, we have a dedicated iOS 27 roundup . Related Roundups: iOS 27 , iPadOS 27 This article, " 10 iOS 27 Performance Improvements You'll Actually Notice " first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums
Driver's licenses and IDs may soon be available in Apple Wallet for iPhone and Apple Watch users who live in Utah. MacRumors discovered signs of a Utah ID in Apple's backend, suggesting Apple is moving forward on implementing support. Utah already offers a mobile driver's license option through a standalone app, but there is no Apple Wallet integration. Utah's mobile driver's license FAQ page still says that it is still in the initial planning process of adding Utah IDs to Apple Wallet, but it may not be up to date. The site also says that when Apple Wallet integration launches, iPhone users who already use the mobile app for their Utah ID will be able to download it to Apple Wallet. Apple announced plans to add Utah driver's licenses and IDs to the Apple Wallet app way back in 2021, but no integration has materialized. Utah was one of the first states Apple mentioned when rolling out the feature. Other states planning to add support for driver's licenses in Apple Wallet include Connecticut, Kentucky, Mississippi, Oklahoma, and Virginia. Multiple states have already implemented support, as has Puerto Rico. Arkansas Arizona California Colorado Georgia Hawaii Illinois Iowa Maryland Montana New Mexico North Dakota Ohio West Virginia Digital IDs and licenses are accepted at select TSA checkpoints across the United States. It can also be used at some business venues and in select apps that require ID verification for services or purchases. In states that do not support licenses in the Wallet app, iPhone users can add their U.S. passport to the Apple Wallet app with the iOS 26 Digital ID feature. Tag: Apple Wallet This article, " iPhone Driver's Licenses May Soon Expand to New State " first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums
Emergency SOS via satellite is now available in Andorra and Iceland, according to an updated Apple support document . Available on the iPhone 14 and newer and the Apple Watch Ultra 3, Emergency SOS via satellite allows you to text emergency services when you are in a supported area without Wi-Fi or cellular connectivity. The feature requires iOS 26.4 and watchOS 26.4 or later in Andorra and Iceland. Tags: Emergency SOS via Satellite , iPhone Satellite Features This article, " Emergency SOS via Satellite Expands to Two More Countries " first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums
