Apple is stepping up its efforts to position the iPhone as a complete replacement for physical wallets in iOS 27, introducing a series of significant updates to the Wallet app. The goal is to transform the way users interact with passes, tickets, accounts and even keys, making the digital experience more integrated and comprehensive.
With the new version of the operating system, the iPhone’s Wallet function receives improved features.
Enhancements to digital passes
Although airline boarding passes were updated in iOS 26, the iOS 27 version brings improvements to other pass categories. Membership cards, gift cards, loyalty cards, and rewards cards can now adopt the “Generic Poster” style, which allows for full background images, logo highlighting, header and footer fields, main fields, and the optional inclusion of a barcode.
Each pass can display up to two actions accessible with a tap at the bottom of the screen, such as getting directions to a specific location or checking your accumulated reward point balance.
Apple has also implemented pass issuer certificate verification, ensuring the authenticity of digital passes (this functionality does not apply to the “Create a Pass” option). Four new barcode types have been added: EAN-13, Code 39, Codabar and ITF.
For developers, a new Mac app called Pass Designer has been released, making it easy to create passes through an intuitive visual editor.
Ease of creating a personalized pass
The Wallet app now allows you to create passes for tickets, subscriptions and other items using Visual Intelligence. If a physical ticket for an event does not yet have a digital version available in the Wallet, the user can create one from the ticket itself.
You can scan a pass and add it with Visual Intelligence if it contains a barcode or QR code. Alternatively, the pass can be added manually. Available pass models include Standard, Member, and Event.
Each model includes relevant information such as name, location or ticket type, as well as a scannable code generated from the barcode or QR code that the user photographs. There are 12 background colors with different texture options, or seven personalized backgrounds for categories such as theater, music, sports and movies.
When developing a custom pass, the user has the freedom to add or remove fields as needed. Options include label, date, membership type, contact, promotional code, vehicle identification number (VIN), insurance and many others, allowing most physical cards to be stored digitally and conveniently, reinforcing the transition to a fully digital wallet.
Digital hotel keys in Wallet
By adding a digital key from a participating hotel to the Wallet app, users will be able to view additional details about their trip. Partner hotels can send updates about booked activities and facilitate access to different services.
Account splitting with artificial intelligence
Using the new Siri Mode in the Camera app or a feature in the Messages and Wallet apps, it is possible to photograph a bill and rely on Apple’s Artificial Intelligence to calculate the amount owed by each person. Visual Intelligence scans the receipt, creates a digital copy of all items and allows everyone to select what they consumed, with taxes and tips automatically calculated.
Resulting payments can be made using Apple Cash, a feature currently restricted to the United States.
Financial monitoring with insights
iOS 27 integrates a feature called “Insights” that allows users to add financial accounts to the Wallet app to track their spending patterns.
Insights represents an evolution of the Connected Accounts feature, present in previous versions of iOS, and offers detailed information about expenses, recurring transactions, account balances and other relevant data. The functionality is compatible with financial institutions that have already implemented support for Connected Cards, including several banks in the United Kingdom.
Expansion of order tracking
The order tracking functionality in the Wallet app will be expanded to Australia and Canada with iOS 27. Previously, in iOS 26, this feature was only available in the United States and the United Kingdom.
Contactless payment sharing
iOS 27’s Tap to Share feature allows customers to connect their iPhone to a participating merchant’s device, speeding up the contactless digital checkout process.
Device requirements for the new features
Visual Intelligence, a component of Apple Intelligence, requires an iPhone 15 Pro or newer model to function. However, most of the other features mentioned should be compatible with all iPhone models that support iOS 27.