Impressive free Apple upgrade will fix a major frustration for iPhone users

Performance issues are a common frustration for iPhone users with older devices. It can seem like things get slower and slower the longer a device is owned, and things can feel especially stuttery after Apple releases its yearly iOS update in September. Luckily, it appears things could be very different in 2026.

iOS 27 has just been announced at WWDC in California, and along with a smarter Siri assistant, improved Apple Intelligence, better photo editing tools and new ways to customise the striking Liquid Glass appearance, Apple is also promising a big boost to performance.

In fact, the US technology giant reckons iOS 27 will help apps launch up to 30 per cent faster, making the everyday experience feel more seamless.

That’s not all. The US firm also promises that photos will load up to 70% faster across devices and AirDrop transfers are up to 80% quicker.

The best part is, this boost won't just improve things for those with the latest iPhone 17 Pro Max.

Thanks to a feature called the CPU scheduler, much older call makers, including the iPhone 11 and iPhone 12, will also feel faster and more fluid.

The CPU scheduler works by giving maximum brain power to what app is being used on the screen rather than powering everything loaded on the phone.

By constantly adjusting the performance, users will get a much better experience when using their devices.

We'll have to wait and see exactly how good it is, but Apple seems confident that it will add some longetivity to ageing devices and end the need to upgrade iPhones that remain in perfectly good condition.

"Improvements across platforms push key system capabilities forward so everyday tasks feel faster, smoother, and more enjoyable," Apple explained.

There's no word on a release date just yet but we expect iOS 27 to be available in September.