iOS 27 may finally fix the most annoying camera limitations on the iPhone

Depending on your preferences, iPhones have the best or the worst camera app on a modern smartphone. The minimalistic and utilitarian design makes taking photos simple but painfully limited for anyone who knows a bit more about photography.

If you’re in the more advanced group, Apple is reportedly preparing a long-overdue upgrade that should come with iOS 27.

iOS 27 may feature a major Camera app update

Apple will reportedly make the iPhone Camera app fully customizable, allowing users to add and remove features from its interface. The changes will make the app much more appealing to photography professionals, according to a Bloomberg report.

In the updated apps, users will be able to place different camera controls, labeled as widgets, at the top of the interface in their preferred order. These widgets will be available from a new transparent “Add Widgets” tray that slides up from the bottom of the interface.



Different capture modes, like photo and video, will have their own sets of widgets, organized in categories such as basic, manual, and settings. 

Finally, an advanced Photo mode

By default, the Camera app will still launch with the same set of options as in current iPhones, but on iOS 27, users will also have new advanced options available. Those include items like depth-of-field and exposure controls, as well as new grid and level options inside the app.

The option to swap in various controls, including for the timer and photo styles, could be Apple’s version of a Pro mode, which Android phones have had for years. The toggle that makes all available controls visible is also moving from the top right of the interface to a new spot on the right of the shutter button, making it easier to reach with one hand.

Of course there’ll be a Siri mode

As it was already reported, the Camera app may also have a new Siri mode. That option will be alongside the photo, video, and other shooting modes, and it’ll allow users to use Visual Intelligence.

That mode is expected to feature a new shutter button, and it would enable several new features from the current Visual Intelligence capabilities. 

More in-app settings, please

My personal grudge with the iOS Camera app is that some of its settings are inside the app, but others are hidden deeply into the phone’s Settings. If fixing this is part of Apple’s plans for iOS 27, I think we’ll get one of the best camera upgrades in the iPhone’s history.

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