Apple hasn’t even unveiled iOS 27 yet, but the company is reportedly already working on something much bigger. According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, iOS 28 is shaping up to be a far more significant update than this year’s iOS upgrade.
Apple is all set to host its annual developers conference, WWDC, next week, where it is expected to pull the curtains back on the next generation of software updates for its devices, including iOS 27 for iPhones. While we’re expecting plenty of new features and upgrades for the iPhone, a new report suggests the biggest overhaul may actually be coming a year later. According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple has already begun work on iOS 28 and its other 2027 software releases, with the update reportedly shaping up to be a much bigger deal than next year’s software cycle.
In the latest edition of his Power On newsletter, Gurman said Apple has already started development on iOS 28, iPadOS 28, macOS 28 and its other operating systems. While that may sound early, it is standard practice for Apple, which plans its software and hardware roadmaps years in advance. What is notable, however, is Gurman’s claim that the “28” generation is already looking “far more significant” than the upcoming “27” releases.
For now, Apple has not revealed any details about what those major changes could be. According to the report, the company’s software teams are currently working on individual features, apps and improvements that could eventually become part of the 2027 releases. Apple has not yet reached the stage where all those elements are being combined into complete operating systems, meaning there is still plenty of time for plans to evolve.
Meanwhile, the report also offers a glimpse into Apple’s internal development process. Gurman says iOS 28 and iPadOS 28 carry the codename “Bell”, while macOS 28 is internally known as “Poppy”. Together, some employees have reportedly nicknamed the software generation “Boppy”. Apple’s teams have used similar naming conventions in the past. For example, iOS 27 and iPadOS 27 were reportedly known as “Rave”, while macOS 27 carried the codename “Fizz”, resulting in the internal nickname “Rizz”.
One reason iOS 28 could be especially important is the hardware it is expected to debut on. According to Gurman, the software will likely ship alongside Apple’s redesigned 20th-anniversary iPhone, which is expected to launch in September 2027. While details about that device remain limited, Apple is widely believed to be planning a major redesign to mark two decades of the iPhone.
iOS 27 is coming first
Before then, however, Apple has unfinished business with iOS 27. Gurman says the upcoming update will focus heavily on Siri and Apple Intelligence. The company is expected to finally introduce its long-delayed personalised Siri experience, complete with on-screen awareness and a deeper understanding of a user’s personal context.
Apple previously demonstrated how this could work at WWDC 2024. In one example, a user asked Siri about their mother’s flight and lunch reservation, with the assistant pulling information from Mail and Messages to provide an answer. The report also suggests Apple is working on a dedicated Siri app that would allow users to chat with the assistant through both text and voice, much like modern AI chatbot apps. Another reported addition is a new “Search or Ask” feature integrated into the Dynamic Island.
However, it is worth noting that it remains unclear exactly what will make iOS 28 more significant than iOS 27. Apple has yet to unveil iOS 27, and iOS 28 is still around a year away from being shown to developers at WWDC 2027.
