Three rumored features that Apple didn’t mention at WWDC26 last week — a customizable Camera app, Siri support for third-party AI chatbots, and a Modular watch face that works on regular Apple Watches — might arrive this fall.
These features all bubbled up in the rumor mill before Apple’s annual Worldwide Developers Conference, but it looks like we won’t see them until September.
Unannounced iOS 27 features coming in iOS 27
Apple’s WWDC26 keynote was packed with info about Siri AI and new features powered by Apple Intelligence. But it did not tell the complete story. (Even bits of code in the developer betas that Apple released after the event hint at upcoming devices like the folding iPhone and touchscreen MacBook Pros.)
In his latest Power On newsletter, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman said Sunday that the three rumored features he previously reported on are definitely still in the works, even though Apple didn’t breathe a word about them.
That makes total sense. Apple finely tunes its taped presentations, hammering home the points it wants to make. It carefully picks and chooses the topics it covers, and calibrates the messages for maximum impact.
The company also might omit a feature because it plans to tout it as a major selling point for an upcoming device. The customizable Camera app, for instance, might serve as a key focus when Apple pitches the iPhone 18 Pro and its rumored variable-aperture camera.
Gurman said that’s what happened to the three iOS 27 and watchOS 27 features in question.
“Whether they were held back for new fall hardware launches or weren’t ready for the public, all three of those features are available today inside of the internal versions of Apple’s operating systems on employee devices,” he wrote. “I expect new watch faces to launch when Apple rolls out refreshed models this fall, while the customizable camera is the type of feature Apple would hold back on introducing until the iPhone 18 Pro debuts with the biggest leap in camera hardware in a while.”
More third-party AI options for Siri AI in the works
Siri’s AI update in the first iOS 27 developer beta hands off select queries to ChatGPT. But Apple could be working on a new Extensions API that lets third-party AI apps plug directly into Siri, according to Gurman.
“Anyone who has actually used the first iOS 27 and macOS 27 betas can see that the AI chatbot picker is present, allowing users to easily move between Siri and ChatGPT,” Gurman wrote. “You can expect that list to get longer in the future via that new developer framework and the App Store. This has all been entirely active and in use inside Apple for months; hopefully it all goes public sometime soon.”
Apple is reportedly in talks with Anthropic, Google and OpenAI about such a system. If you are wondering why the feature isn’t already available, there are a few possible reasons. Providing that kind of access could complicate Apple’s fight against the EU’s Digital Markets Act. Plus, Apple wanted to give Siri AI its own moment during the WWDC keynote.
Also, bringing Gemini to Siri alongside ChatGPT could lead to a lot of confusion. And there’s the case of OpenAI allegedly growing frustrated with its partnership with Apple.
Fully customizable Camera app still coming to iOS 27
Apple did tease a redesigned Camera app during WWDC26, with a Siri shortcut in the viewfinder for launching Visual Intelligence. But sadly, the rumored upgrade that got people excited before the big event didn’t make it to the developer beta.
But not all hope is gone. The rumored fully customizable Camera app, which lets users pick and choose which controls show up, is still reportedly coming this fall.
Modular watch face for non-Ultra watches in watchOS 27
With its wealth of complications and sleek digital style, the Modular Ultra watch face is one of the coolest and most useful Apple Watch faces available. But from day one, Apple locked it to the Apple Watch Ultra.
Gurman previously reported that Apple is working on a simplified version of the Modular watch face that retains the large clock, but ditches the huge complication section in the middle — and works with regular Apple Watches.
The large clock would occupy a significant portion of the display, with the row showing three small complications taking up the rest of the space. The new Modular watch face might debut this September alongside the Apple Watch Series 12.
New features coming to iOS 27 and watchOS 27
It’s possible these three features might not have been ready for prime time, and that’s why Apple didn’t mention them during the WWDC26 keynote.
Whether Apple skipped them for that reason or due to time constraints, messaging priorities or future marketing opportunities, they are exactly the kind of additions that would make iOS 27 and watchOS 27 feel complete.
Anurag Chawake is a tech-focused writer specializing in smartphones, apps and consumer technology. His interest in computers began during the Windows 98 era, eventually leading him to explore everything from operating systems to mobile devices and PC hardware. Anurag previously contributed to The Indian Express, covering Apple, Android, gaming and the broader technology landscape.
