Adjustable glass
Liquid Glass, the visual language introduced with iOS 26 and macOS Tahoe, doesn't disappear in iOS 27 but becomes configurable. According to Tom's Guide and MacRumors, Apple adds a system-wide slider to adjust transparency and contrast levels across all interface elements — folders, navigation bars, Home screen — not just the lock screen clock as had been planned in the previous version. The feature had been planned for iOS 26 but was shelved due to technical limitations.
The change responds to concrete criticism from users and developers over the past year: Tahoe's semi-transparent overlays created readability issues in some contexts, especially on complex wallpapers. The slider doesn't eliminate the style but provides room to adapt without forcing a binary choice.
Shortcuts without code blocks
Tom's Guide highlights another substantive change: iOS 27 lets users create Shortcuts automations by describing the desired action in plain text, instead of assembling logical blocks as before. This lowers the barrier to a tool that previously had a steep learning curve for non-technical users.