Apple's iOS 27 update brings more than just Apple Intelligence to iPhones — it makes them noticeably faster across dozens of everyday tasks. The company identified over 40 performance improvements, from app launches to Photos loading, that should make the update feel substantial even if you skip the AI features.

Specific gains include up to 30% faster app launches and AirDrop transfers that are 80% quicker, with Photos loading up to 70% faster. These improvements span across iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, and visionOS, touching core experiences like Safari browsing, Camera launch in Low Power Mode, and Health app updates.

What makes this particularly notable is that Apple tested many performance metrics on iPhone 11 hardware, meaning older devices could see meaningful upgrades. This addresses ongoing concerns about software bloat slowing down aging phones, while simultaneously rebuilding Siri from the ground up.

Developers can access iOS 27 beta now, with public beta arriving in July and the final release expected this fall. For users with iPhone 11 or newer, these performance gains may be more immediately noticeable than the flashy AI additions.