iOS 27: My favorite new iPhone features (other than AI)

Apple released the iOS 27 public beta with new Siri AI and Apple Intelligence features, alongside non-AI updates including improved AutoMix transitions in Music, full-resolution iCloud Shared Albums, independent alarm volume, extra-large widgets, and a redesigned Find My app.

The iOS 27 public beta is here https://9to5mac.com/2026/07/13/ios-27-public-beta/ , and the headlining changes are Siri AI and the array of new Apple Intelligence features. However, the update also includes plenty of non-AI features. Here are a few of my favorite iOS 27 features other than Siri and AI . The new Siri AI and Apple Intelligence features are fantastic in iOS 27, but there are some other - In the Music app , Apple has updated AutoMix with new transitions. I was a big fan of the initial version of AutoMix that launched in iOS 26, and the new transitions in iOS 27 are noticeably better and more immersive. - In the Photos app , iCloud Shared Albums now offer full-resolution sharing. This is a big upgrade that makes it significantly easier to share photos and videos with others without compromising image quality. - You can now set an independent volume https://9to5mac.com/2026/06/08/ios-27-adds-independent-volume-settings-for-alarms-and-timers-and-for-alerts-and-system-sounds/ for alarms in the Clock app . This new option is in the Settings app under “Sounds & Haptics.” This means your alarms and timers no longer have to match your ringtone volume. - iOS 27 adds an all-new extra-large widget size https://9to5mac.com/2026/06/08/ios-27-adds-extra-large-widgets-for-your-extra-large-needs/ for your Home Screen . There are full-screen widgets for apps like Music, Photos, Weather, and Calendar. - You can now swipe away the Now Playing widget https://9to5mac.com/2026/06/08/ios-27-will-let-you-swipe-away-the-now-playing-widget-from-the-lock-screen/ from the Lock Screen in iOS 27. - On the Lock Screen , you can now move the clock https://9to5mac.com/2026/06/09/ios-27-adds-unique-new-setting-to-personalize-your-iphones-lock-screen/ to the top widget row, so it no longer gets in the way of your wallpaper. - In the Photos app , you can now save a specific video frame as a photo. This means you no longer have to manually take a screenshot of a video you’ve already taken to get a specific frame as a separate photo. - The Apple Pay checkout flow has been significantly overhauled https://9to5mac.com/2026/06/13/ios-27-makes-it-easier-to-switch-between-apple-pay-cards/ , making it a lot easier to switch between payment cards. - iOS 27 adds landscape support to more apps, which is great as someone who keeps their iPhone docked at their desk all day. This includes apps like Music, Reminders, Weather, and more. - The Find My app has a new design in iOS 27, plus more flexible sharing options https://9to5mac.com/2026/06/12/ios-27-find-my-adds-new-ways-to-hide-your-location-more/ . In particular, I like that the new design shows me more specific location information without having to tap on a specific person. - When you copy something to your iPhone’s clipboard in iOS 27, you’ll see a built-in paste shortcut above the keyboard the next text field you go to. This makes it a lot quicker to copy and paste text, links, photos, and more between apps. - In CarPlay , there’s now an audio scrubber that lets you skip to different parts of a song or podcast right on your car’s display. What are your favorite non-AI features in iOS 27? Let us know down in the comments. Chance’s favorites: AirPods Pro 3: $199 Reg. $249 https://amzn.to/4uUqAwW Bring wireless CarPlay to any car https://amzn.to/3RBXa7T “Apple: The First 50 Years” by David Pogue https://amzn.to/3RZWqtm Logitech MX Master 4 https://amzn.to/4adTvDF Belkin 3-in-1 MagSafe Charger https://amzn.to/4fpVjgj Beats Woven USB-C Charging Cables https://amzn.to/4ekuxou Follow Chance : Threads https://www.threads.net/@ChanceHMiller , Bluesky https://bsky.app/profile/chancemiller.me , Instagram https://www.instagram.com/chancehmiller/ , and Mastodon https://mastodon.social/@ChanceHMiller . FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More. https://9to5mac.com/about/ affiliate our homepage http://9to5mac.com/ for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on exclusive stories https://9to5mac.com/feature/exclusive/ , reviews https://9to5mac.com/guides/review/ , how-tos https://9to5mac.com/guides/how-to/ , and subscribe to our YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/9to5mac