iOS 27.2 beta 3 rearranges Apple Books' reading controls and adds a progress bar
Bookmarks get their own button again and the menu switches to standard Liquid Glass, just as iPhone Duo's larger reading screen nears launch.
Apple has reworked the reading view in its Books app in the third developer beta of iOS 27.2, released October 5. The changes are live in the beta rather than hidden in code, and they only affect the screen you see while reading a book. Beta Profiles first flagged the new menu and progress bar, and 9to5Mac's Ryan Christoffel detailed the rest.
What's different
- Progress bar: A bar along the bottom of the page now shows how far you are into the book.
- Menu: The button in the bottom-right corner has a new three-dot icon and opens a standard Liquid Glass menu. It replaces the bubble-style menu Books used before, so it now behaves like menus in other iOS 27 apps.
- Bookmark: No longer tucked inside that menu. It's now a standalone button in the upper-right corner, one tap away.
- Close: The X button that exits the book moves to the upper-left corner.
- Back: The back button moves to the lower-left corner and is larger than before.
None of this changes how books are displayed or adds new reading features. It's a reshuffle of the controls, and the bookmark change undoes a design that put one of the most common reading actions behind an extra tap.
Why now
Apple hasn't linked the update to new hardware, but the timing lines up with iPhone Duo. Apple's first foldable opens to a 7.6-inch inner display, goes up for preorder October 16, and ships October 23. Apple says its iPhone Duo Folio has a kickstand that supports a wide range of angles "for reading, viewing content, or FaceTime," according to the iPhone Duo announcement. Christoffel thinks the Books changes are likely aimed at the foldable, and Apple has already opened App Store submissions for apps built for iPhone Duo.
The same beta also brought Apple Music's new logo, and 9to5Mac has a roundup of everything else in beta 3. Apple hasn't said when iOS 27.2 will ship, and beta features can still change before release.
Will the iOS 27.2 changes get you reading more in Apple Books?
Yes, enough to move over from Kindle or another app0 votes0%
I already use Books, and these fixes are welcome0 votes0%
No, Books needs bigger features than this0 votes0%
I'll decide once I try it on iPhone Duo0 votes0%
0 votesPoll closed
Sources
- 9to5Mac, Ryan Christoffel, "iOS 27.2 gives Apple Books new design updates as iPhone Duo nears," October 6, 2026
- Beta Profiles, "What's New in iOS 27.2 Beta 3"
- 9to5Mac, "iOS 27.2 beta 3: Here's everything new," October 6, 2026
- Apple Newsroom, "Apple unveils iPhone Duo," September 9, 2026