iOS 27 public beta may launch this week with new Siri AI features

iOS 27 public beta may launch this week with new Siri AI features

Apple is expected to release the first public beta of iOS 27 this week. The software, first unveiled at WWDC on June 8, has been in developer beta.

While the full public release is slated for this fall — traditionally occurring in September following Apple's iPhone event — the public beta allows regular users to test new features ahead of the official launch.

The Siri AI Overhaul

The most significant addition to iOS 27 is Siri AI, a revamped virtual assistant powered by Apple Intelligence. Developed in collaboration with Google, the assistant utilizes technologies behind Gemini AI models to function as a conversational agent similar to ChatGPT or Claude. Users can engage in back-and-forth conversations, ask open-ended questions, and request complex tasks involving personal data across Mail, Messages, Notes, Reminders, and Calendar.

Siri AI introduces several new interfaces and tools:

• Standalone App: A dedicated Siri app allows users to revisit, search, and pin previous conversations. These chats sync across iCloud devices, including iPads and Macs.
• Dynamic Island Integration: Siri now lives in the Dynamic Island. Swiping down from the center of the display brings up a Search or Ask interface, replacing the previous Spotlight Search.
• Visual Intelligence: Now moved to the Camera app, a new Siri mode allows users to take photos of their surroundings to get real-time information, such as nutritional data from a meal, identification of plants, or the ability to split a receipt.
• Writing Tools: The Write with Siri feature can generate text from scratch, correct grammar, and mimic a user's personal writing style in Mail and Messages.

Hardware limitations apply to these features. While iOS 27 is compatible with any iPhone that runs iOS 26, including the iPhone 11 and second-gen SE, Siri AI and Apple Intelligence are reserved for the iPhone 15 Pro and newer. Further customizations, such as personalized voice pace and expressivity, require an iPhone 17 Pro or iPhone Air.

AI Enhancements Across Core Apps

Apple Intelligence extends beyond Siri into various system applications. The Photos app gains new AI editing tools, including Spatial Reframing to adjust the perspective of a photo, an Extend tool to expand image borders, and an upgraded Clean Up feature for removing larger objects.

In Safari, AI now automatically organizes tabs and bookmarks by topic and monitors webpages for changes via a Notify Me feature. Users can also create custom extensions by providing natural language descriptions. Other AI integrations include:

• Shortcuts: Users can describe an automation in natural language, and the app will generate the shortcut automatically.
• Passwords: The app can now automatically upgrade weak or compromised passwords.
• Image Playground: An overhauled generator capable of creating photorealistic images.
• Phone: A Call Context feature surfaces relevant information, such as flight confirmation codes, when calling a business.

Performance and Parental Controls

IOS 27 includes systemic performance boosts. New photos load in the library up to 70% faster. These improvements are attributed to enhanced connectivity transitions between Wi-Fi and cellular networks.

Parental controls have been redesigned within Screen Time. New Time Allowances let parents set limits on specific app categories, while Ask to Buy and Ask to Browse require parental permission for app downloads and new website visits. Communication Safety has also been expanded to block gore and violence in addition to nudity.

The update also introduces refinements to the Liquid Glass design, including a new slider that allows users to adjust the transparency of the effect.

Availability and Restrictions

Siri AI will initially be available in English across various regions, including the U.S., UK, Canada, and Australia. However, the feature will not be available in China or the European Union at launch due to issues with the Digital Markets Act.

Apple has confirmed that Siri AI in English will arrive later this year, following the general release of iOS 27 this fall.