iOS 27 Tidbits: Share a Phone Number on Two iPhones, Independent Alarm Volume, Faster AirPlay and More

At the WWDC 2026 keynote, Apple detailed iOS 27 changes like a new version of Siri with a dedicated ‌Siri‌ app and Apple Intelligence features across multiple apps, but there are dozens of smaller but still important changes that Apple didn't have time to go through.

Apple shared an image summarizing some of the bug fixes and optimizations it made in ‌iOS 27‌, iPadOS 27, and macOS 27, and there are some interesting changes.

Dual Phone Numbers

Apple says you'll be able to switch between two iPhone devices with the same phone number, which presumably means you can set up two iPhones with one number and then swap between them as needed. It could work similar to how an iPhone and Apple Watch can share the same phone number. It should be a useful change for anyone who wants to get a foldable iPhone and a standard iPhone 18 Pro this year.

Sharing numbers between two iPhones may require carrier support, so it's not clear if it's implemented in the beta.

Two FaceTime Cameras

Dual camera in FaceTime is a listed feature, and that likely means you'll be able to use the front and back cameras at the same time during ‌FaceTime‌ calls.

Faster AirPlay and AirDrop

AirPlaying content to the HomePod and Apple TV is faster than before thanks to multiple system improvements. AirDrop transfers from the iPhone to other devices are also faster, and it's quicker for an iPhone to find nearby AirDrop recipients.

Messages Drawing App

There's a drawing app in Messages where you can handwrite a message or draw a picture. It uses the same drawing tools that are available in the Notes app or when annotating images.

Extra Large Widgets

There's a new extra large widget size you can select on the iPhone's Home Screen. The extra large size takes up an entire app page and displays more information from an app.

Shared Album Expirations

You can now set a shared photo album to expire after a set time, so it doesn't exist indefinitely.

Independent Alarm Volume

Alarm volume can be controlled separately from system volume, as can alerts and system sounds. In Settings > Sounds & Haptics, there are toggles to match Alarms, Timers, Alerts, and System Sounds to Ringtone Volume or to decouple them. Toggling off the match option lets you select a preferred volume level for alarms and system sounds.

Markdown in Notes

You can now copy and paste Markdown in the Notes app.

Save a Video Frame

There's a new option to save a video frame as a photo in the Photos app.

Weather

The Weather app has a "Highlights" view with at-a-glance information, plus it includes updated hourly and 10-day views for precipitation and wind speed.

Other iOS 27 Optimizations and Changes

• Faster message loading in Mail
• Enhanced Safari power efficiency
• Improved battery insights
• Smoother scrolling in App Library
• Smoother unlocking on iPhone
• New AutoMix transitions in Apple Music
• Faster HomeKit accessory pairing
• Faster start page loading in Safari
• More accurate Visited Places in Maps
• Improved Messages syncing across devices
• More power efficient personal hotspot on devices with N1 chip
• Failed messages will automatically try resending
• Improved Bluetooth power management
• Support for time zone changes in Sleep
• Improved unread badge accuracy in Mail

These are just some of the improvements and changes that Apple has introduced in ‌iOS 27‌. We'll be sharing more new features in ‌iOS 27‌ as they're discovered by the community. The ‌iOS 27‌ beta is available for developers right now, with Apple planning to introduce a public beta in July. ‌iOS 27‌ will launch this fall.