Apple has officially unveiled iOS 27, bringing a major focus on artificial intelligence, new customization options, performance improvements, enhanced parental controls, and the biggest Siri overhaul in the assistant’s history. The update will launch later this year and is compatible with every iPhone currently running iOS 26, including the iPhone 11 lineup.
The headline feature is Siri AI, a completely rebuilt version of Siri powered by Apple Intelligence. Siri can now hold natural conversations, understand personal context across messages, emails, photos, and notes, answer questions using information from the web, and perform actions across apps. Apple has also introduced a dedicated Siri app that syncs conversations across devices, allowing users to continue chats wherever they left off.
Visual Intelligence is also expanding in iOS 27 through a new Siri mode in Camera. Users can point their iPhone at objects, food, products, and more to receive information, ask questions, and perform actions directly from the Camera app.
Image: Apple
Apple Intelligence is becoming more deeply integrated throughout the system. The Photos app gains Spatial Reframing, allowing users to adjust the perspective of a photo after it has been taken, alongside a new Extend tool that can expand images beyond their original boundaries. The Clean Up tool has also been improved to remove larger distractions with more realistic results.
Safari is receiving several new AI-powered features. Tabs can now automatically be grouped into topics, while a new Notify Me feature monitors webpages for changes such as price drops or product restocks and alerts users when something changes. Users can also create custom Safari extensions simply by describing what they want.
The Passwords app can now automatically update weak or compromised passwords on supported websites, removing much of the manual work involved in securing accounts.
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Messages and Mail gain contextual suggestions that can create reminders, notes, and other actions based on conversations. Apple is also introducing Call Context, which can surface relevant information during phone calls, such as reservation numbers or confirmation codes stored elsewhere on the device.
The Shortcuts app is becoming significantly easier to use with a new Describe a Shortcut feature. Users can explain what they want to automate in plain language, and Apple Intelligence will build the shortcut automatically.
Apple has also refreshed the system design introduced with Liquid Glass. A new slider lets users choose how transparent or tinted the interface appears, while Apple says readability, contrast, icon rendering, and visual clarity have all been improved.
Parents are gaining a number of new tools to help manage their children’s devices. New features include Ask to Browse for approving websites, Time Allowances for app categories, redesigned Screen Time controls, expanded Communication Safety protections, and a simplified child account setup process.
AirPods users will gain a new Custom EQ feature, allowing manual adjustment of bass, mids, and treble for the first time. Apple is also bringing GymKit to iPhone, enabling compatible gym equipment to connect directly for more accurate workout metrics.
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The Home app is becoming smarter with AI-generated camera summaries, natural-language video search, grouped smart home notifications, and support for 4K HomeKit Secure Video recording on supported cameras.
Other additions include improved Shared Albums, new menopause and perimenopause features in the Health app, enhanced Flyover imagery in Maps, richer VoiceOver capabilities, automatic video caption generation and translation, smarter Mail search results, smoother Wi-Fi and cellular transitions, and faster performance across the operating system. Apple says app launches are up to 30 percent faster, Photos loading is up to 70 percent faster, and AirDrop transfers are up to 80 percent faster.
iOS 27 will be available later this year for iPhone 11 and newer, while Siri AI will enter beta in English later this year on supported Apple Intelligence devices.