Apple is reportedly preparing two more AI features for iOS 27: custom wallpaper generation and a smarter Shortcuts app that can build automations from plain language.
According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple is working on AI-powered writing help, app shortcuts, and wallpapers for iOS 27 and iPadOS 27. Apple has not announced these features yet, so this is still in reported territory until WWDC26.
The timing lines up with Apple’s next software showcase. The WWDC26 keynote is set for June 8 at 10 a.m. PT, where Apple is expected to reveal iOS 27, iPadOS 27, macOS 27, and the next wave of Apple Intelligence features.
Shortcuts could become much easier to use
The most useful change may be inside the Shortcuts app. Bloomberg’s report says users will be able to describe what they want a shortcut to do, and Siri will create the workflow using AI.
That would be a meaningful shift from how Shortcuts on iPhone works today. Right now, users usually have to build automations by choosing actions, arranging steps, and checking how data moves between them. It is powerful, but it can feel too technical for casual iPhone users.
If the report is accurate, iOS 27 could let someone type or say a request like creating a morning routine, resizing images, logging expenses, or sending a recurring message, then let Siri assemble the shortcut automatically. The generated shortcut would reportedly be installed and ready to use after creation.
That fits Apple’s broader iOS 27 Apple Intelligence push, where the company is expected to focus less on flashy chatbot tricks and more on system-level features that make iPhone tasks easier.
Image Playground may power custom wallpapers
The second feature is more visual. Apple is reportedly planning to let users generate custom wallpapers through Image Playground when choosing a new iPhone wallpaper.
Image Playground already uses Apple Intelligence to create images from concepts, text descriptions, and people from a user’s photo library. iOS 27 may connect that experience more directly to wallpaper customization, so users can generate a background instead of picking from Apple’s built-in collections or their own photos.
iOS 27 could let users generate custom wallpapers using Image Playground.
— Beta Profiles (@BetaProfiles) May 18, 2026
Source: Mark Gurman pic.twitter.com/aRhpO3mM13
Apple is also testing image models that can create more lifelike results. That part is worth treating carefully because testing does not always mean the same model or visual style will ship in the public release.
Still, a wallpaper generator would be a natural extension of Image Playground. Apple already positions the app as a simple creative tool, and wallpapers give it a more obvious everyday use case.
WWDC will show how ready Apple is to ship
The report comes as Apple faces pressure to make Apple Intelligence feel more useful across the system. The delayed Siri upgrade made users more cautious about big AI promises, so iOS 27 will need more than a long list of features.
AI-generated Shortcuts could help if Apple gets reliability right. A shortcut that sends messages, changes settings, edits files, or talks to apps needs to be predictable, not just impressive in a demo.
The wallpaper feature is lighter, but it could make personalization feel more native on the iPhone. Together, these updates show where Apple may be heading with iOS 27: AI that sits inside familiar system tools instead of living only in a separate assistant or chat box.
Apple should preview iOS 27 at WWDC26 on June 8. Until then, these features are best read as reported plans, not confirmed launch promises.
