- Apple is reportedly developing iOS 28 as a much larger software release than its upcoming iPhone update.
- The update is internally known as "Bell" and is expected to arrive alongside Apple's rumored 20th-anniversary iPhone lineup in 2027.
- Reports suggest iOS 28 could introduce broader platform-level changes beyond the Siri and Apple Intelligence upgrades.
Apple hasn’t even announced its next major iPhone software update yet, but some early details about iOS 28 have already surfaced online. According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple is treating iOS 28 as a much larger software project than the version expected this year.
He didn’t reveal any actual features, but the way it was described makes it sound like Apple is planning something beyond the usual yearly upgrade. Right now, there isn’t much to see. But even without feature details, the report itself is interesting because Apple is apparently already laying the groundwork for what comes after the next generation of software.
Apple’s internal codenames revealed
During development, Apple gives every major software release an internal codename.
For iOS 28, that codename is reportedly “Bell.” The Mac version is also moving through development under its own internal name. The report says macOS 28 is currently known as “Poppy” inside Apple.
These names don’t tell us anything about the features themselves, but they do show that development is already underway much earlier than most people would expect.
Why the timing matters
The bigger story here isn’t the codename.
The timing is.
If current rumors are accurate, Apple is preparing a special iPhone model for the device’s 20th anniversary in 2027. That alone would make the software release important. A major hardware redesign usually needs software changes to match. That’s one reason many people in the industry think iOS 28 could bring bigger changes than a normal yearly update.
Nothing is confirmed yet, obviously. Still, it would be surprising if Apple launched a milestone iPhone without making notable changes to the software experience too.
Apple’s focus before iOS 28
Before iOS 28 becomes the center of attention, Apple still has another update to deliver. The company’s current software roadmap is heavily focused on improving Siri and expanding Apple Intelligence features.
The planned upgrades reportedly include better awareness of what’s happening on screen, improved understanding of information stored in apps like Mail and Messages, and a more advanced search experience built directly into the iPhone interface.
Those changes already sound fairly significant. Which is exactly why Gurman’s comments about iOS 28 stand out. If next year’s software is expected to go beyond all of that, Apple may be working on something much more ambitious behind closed doors.
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Overall, at this stage, iOS 28 is mostly a mystery. We know the internal codename. We know Apple is already building it. And we know people familiar with the project believe it will be a much bigger release than the update coming before it.
