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A customizable camera app is still on the table, but Apple could be saving it for the iPhone 18

A major redesign appears to be alive behind the scenes despite its WWDC absence.

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Apple’s WWDC 2026 keynote packed in plenty of software announcements, but one rumored iOS 27 feature was noticeably missing. According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, that omission may have been intentional, with Apple still sitting on a fully customizable Camera app that could instead debut alongside the iPhone 18 Pro.

Apple’s customizable Camera app reportedly still exists behind closed doors

In the latest edition of Bloomberg’s Power On newsletter, Gurman says Apple developed significantly more for iOS 27 than it actually showcased during WWDC. Among the features left off the stage was a redesigned Camera app that would let users customize the controls and widgets visible while shooting.

Interestingly, the report claims the feature already exists in internal employee builds. Gurman believes Apple may be deliberately holding it back for the iPhone 18 Pro, which is expected to introduce one of the biggest camera hardware upgrades the lineup has seen in years. According to a Bloomberg illustration, the app would include a widget-style interface where users could add or remove controls such as flash, timer, exposure, night mode, and resolution settings, making the Camera app far more flexible than Apple’s current one-size-fits-all approach.

Maybe Apple wants the hardware to steal the show, too

Apple has often timed major software features to coincide with new hardware launches, and this rumored Camera app overhaul would fit that playbook perfectly. If the iPhone 18 Pro is indeed getting a significant camera upgrade, debuting a customizable interface alongside it could make the new hardware feel even more compelling for creators.

Of course, internal projects don’t always make it to public releases, and Apple is known to change course behind the scenes. But if this report is accurate, users hoping for a more flexible native Camera app may have to wait another generation, because sometimes the software is ready long before the marketing story is.

Varun Mirchandani
Varun is an experienced technology journalist and editor with over eight years in consumer tech media. His work spans…
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