iOS 27.2 recently launched with new features for iPhone users, including improvements across six Apple apps. Here’s what’s new.
Messages
One of my favorite additions to Messages this year, Suggested Actions, debuts in iOS 27.2.
Suggested Actions appear underneath messages in a conversation when relevant. They can suggest creating a calendar event or reminder, adding to a note, and more based on the context of the message.
The feature was originally part of the iOS 27 beta this summer, but didn’t make the public build. Now it’s back in iOS 27.2, new and improved. There’s also an option to fine-tune which types of suggestions you’ll see.
Apple TV
Every major streaming service has its own profiles feature, letting users on the same account keep their viewing history and recommendations separate. Apple TV has long offered such a feature in tvOS, but now with iOS 27.2 and iPadOS 27.2 it’s coming to iPhone and iPad too.
When you launch the TV app in iOS 27.2, you’ll be greeted by a new profile selection screen. You can easily disable it if you don’t want to see if again. But if you ever share your iPhone with kids, the new profiles feature should come in handy.
FaceTime
Dual Capture is one of FaceTime’s best new features in years. Added in iOS 27, on compatible iPhones it lets you keep your front and rear cameras both active at the same time while on a FaceTime call.
iOS 27.2 brings a key upgrade to Dual Capture: it’s now available for Group FaceTime calls.
To use the feature, just hit the flip camera button like usual, and by default on iPhone 17 and newer you’ll stream both camera feeds simultaneously.
Timed with its new Home products push, Apple adds a pair of new Home app features in iOS 27.2 for compatible smart locks.
‘Lock After Closing’ is a new automation setting that lets you choose how long after a door is closed that it should lock automatically. Previously you could only set a duration based on the time since a door was unlocked, not closed.
‘Door Left Open’ tackles a related, but distinct problem: a door being left open too long. With compatible locks, you can configure the Home app to automatically notify you if a door has been left open for a certain period of time.
Apple Podcasts
Apple Podcasts keeps getting better, with AI-powered automatic chapters and transcripts some of my favorite features. And in iOS 27.2, Apple has a welcome change to the Up Next queue on the Home tab.
Up Next is now split into two separate queues: New Episodes and Continue Playing.
New Episodes contains only the latest episodes from shows you follow, while Continue Playing is a hub for all the episodes you’ve previously started but haven’t yet finished.
- Read more: iOS 27.2 gives Apple Podcasts the big fix I’ve wanted for years
Games
Apple’s Games app introduces some small updates in iOS 27.2 as well.
The Home tab now shows you recently downloaded games that you haven’t yet played. Previously, you would only see games with some play activity. And Apple says achievement progress and leaderboard scores have been updated in the Home tab to be easier to track. Finally, the Friends tab “provides context on friend suggestions and shows recent games played on friends’ player pages” per Apple.
Which new iOS 27.2 features are you most excited about? Let us know in the comments.
Best iPhone accessories
You’re reading 9to5Mac — experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Don’t know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel
