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Apple just announced the next version of the iPhone operating system - iOS 27. While iOS 26 was largely based around the Liquid Glass redesign, artificial intelligence features are the core component of this year's upgrade.
The big one is a refreshed, smarter Siri that is finally meant to fulfil the promises Apple made ahead of iOS 18 back in 2024. Siri's expanded capabilities will make it closer to interacting with a tool like Gemini or ChatGPT.
iOS 27 should launch in September alongside new iPhones, but a public beta will be available next month. iOS 27 will be available on the iPhone 11 and up.
Siri AI
Apple's next-generation Siri, dubbed Siri AI, is at the heart of iOS 27. Siri AI is being called an entirely new version of Siri, and in addition to working similarly to a chatbot, is available system-wide and capable of reading what's onscreen and interacting with any app you have open. iPhone users can open Siri AI by swiping down from the dynamic island, and Siri AI will also get its own dedicated app.
Suggestions in apps
Apps will be able to use Apple Intelligence to recommend actions. For example, Messages might suggest a photo to share or something to add to a reminder, Mail may have suggestions for adding things to your calendar, while the phone app will be able to display relevant info to your call - like a flight confirmation number if you're calling an airline - from messages or emails.
Under the hood improvements
While less splashy, iOS 27 will bring a lot of performance improvements that should make your iPhone feel smoother. Apple says opening apps and discovering AirDrop recipients will be up to 30% faster, AirPlay will connect up to 70% faster, and AirDrop will be up to 80% faster.
Apple also says iOS 27 devices will swap between WiFi and mobile networks more seamlessly.
Tab wrangling in Safari
Safari is naturally also getting new Apple Intelligence features. The standout is that it can "tame" your tabs by organising them into topics, which is a win for anyone who keeps 50-plus tabs open at one time. Safari will also be able to notify you if the content on a website changes, say, if you're waiting for ticket sales for an event to open.
AI photo editing
iOS 27 expands Apple's AI photo editing tools with reframe and extend tools. As the names might suggest, these will let you reframe a photo after it's been taken, or expand the background.
Improved parental controls
Apple is overhauling parental controls in iOS 27. Setup is said to be easier, there are tools for managing who children can contact on Apple apps, and gore, violence, and nudity will be automatically blurred in Messages and FaceTime. Parents will also be able to set individual app time allowances, or based on categories. Allowances can be customised for each day of the week.
Liquid Design tweaks
Apple will let iOS 27 users customise Liquid Design with a new transparency slider. This will let you make Liquid Design more opaque, which can be a win for anyone who finds the transparency impacts readability.
Everything else
iOS 27 has plenty of other features, including:
- Customisable EQ settings for AirPods 4, AirPods Pro 3, and AirPods Max 2
- The ability to put extra-large widgets on the home screen, that take up an entire pane
- Faster HomeKit accessory pairing, and support for 4K video resolution with HomeKit cameras
- The ability to create Shortcuts using natural language
- The option to automatically fix weak or compromised credentials using the Passwords app
- Automatic caption generation for videos
Can I update to iOS 27?
All phones running iOS 26 will be able to upgrade to iOS 27. Some advanced Apple Intelligence features will only be available on the iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, and iPhone Air, however.
You'll be able to install iOS 27 on the following iPhones:
iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, iPhone 17e, iPhone Air, iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16e, iPhone 16 Pro, iPhone 16 Pro Max, iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone 14 Pro, iPhone 14 Pro Max, iPhone 13, Phone 13 mini, iPhone 13 Pro, iPhone 13 Pro Max, iPhone SE (2022), iPhone 12, Phone 12 mini, iPhone 12 Pro, iPhone 12 Pro Max, iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, iPhone 11 Pro Max, and iPhone SE (2020)
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Alex Choros
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