iOS 27 has been officially revealed, and if you’re an iPhone owner, that means there’s a very long list of software headed your way.
The final version of iOS 27 won’t actually be released until September, but a developer beta is available to download now and there will likely be a public beta in July.
But what exactly do you have to expect? I’ve been using iPhones since the 3GS (yes, I’m that old) and below are the seven biggest iOS 27 features I’m looking forward to testing.
1. A new Siri AI
Yes, it’s finally happening. Two years after Apple originally announced a more personalized version of Siri, a next-generation assistant called Siri AI is finally arriving – well, as long as you live outside the EU.
Siri AI looks like the conversational assistant we’d expect to see in 2024. Based on Apple’s new Foundation models (which were created with Google), it understands your “personal context,” so it can answer questions by pulling information from your messages, emails, photos, and more.
It will also be available in a dedicated Siri AI app, which will let you go back to old conversations you remember, and you’ll also be able to use iCloud to sync your conversations privately between devices. A Siri mode in the Camera app will also improve the iPhone’s visual search; For example, it will allow you to obtain nutritional information about your hastily prepared dinner.
Unfortunately for those in the EU (which does not include the UK), Apple has said that Siri AI will not be available there due to the Digital Markets Act (DMA). But for the rest of us, it looks like the biggest update of iOS 27, and it’s also coming to the iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, and Vision Pro.
2. Liquid Glass finally has a slider
If you’re not a big fan of Liquid Glass in iOS 26, we have good news: Apple admitted its critics were right and gave us an opacity slider to adjust the effect to our liking.
The new slider will let you modify how glassy the effect is in areas like tabs and menus. Apple says you can go from “ultra clear” to “fully tinted” (which basically eliminates the effect).
Apparently Liquid Glass will now also do a much better job of diffusing whatever content is behind the effect, which should be a big help for readability.
3. The Passwords app can change your passwords for you.
Here’s a smaller iOS 27 update that could be one of your sleeper hits: the Passwords app will now be able to change weak or compromised passwords for you.
Currently, the app tells you if any of your passwords have been leaked or appeared in known security incidents. But instead of fixing those passwords manually, in iOS 27 you can tell the Passwords app to change them and automatically update them to something that’s strong and secure.
Apple says the feature will let you update passwords for “eligible accounts,” so it remains to be seen how broad that support is, but it certainly sounds like a potential time saver.
4. Apple Photos gets new editing tricks
Apple Photos has been slowly catching up with Google’s photo editing tricks on Android, and iOS 27 will see it take another solid step forward with three features you’ll find in its ‘Tools’ section (above).
The first, Clean Up, already exists but is apparently getting a “big update” that will help you eliminate distractions in a more realistic way. As its name suggests, the ‘Extend’ tool also allows you to expand your photo in the same way as Photoshop, using generative AI to fill in the details.
Finally, there is an even more sophisticated tool called ‘Spatial Reframing’, which uses spatial models on the device to help you modify the perspective. It’s a bit like iOS 26’s ‘Space Scenes’, which lets you turn 2D photos into 3D, only you can save the perspective change to your photo.
In a mild criticism of Google, Alok Deshpande (Apple’s Director of Cameras and Photos Software Engineering) said: “At Apple, we have a deep respect for the art of photography, and so our goal in bringing AI to the Photos app is to help photographers enhance their photos in a way that respects the original moment.” Touché, Apple.
5. Speed improvements
If you’ve been frustrated by how slow iOS 26 feels on your iPhone, especially if you’re on an older model, then iOS 27 might improve things.
According to Apple, iOS 27 will feel much snappier than its predecessor thanks to a variety of bug fixes and performance improvements. It claims that launching apps will be up to 30% faster, AirDrop transfers will be 80% faster, and loading new snaps in Photos will be 70% faster.
These improvements, and others to Wi-Fi and cellular connections, will likely vary depending on which model you’re running (iOS 27 support dates back to the iPhone SE (2020) and iPhone 11 series), but it’s promising news for those with older devices.
6. A review of screen time
Apple’s built-in parental controls on the iPhone, called Screen Time, are still a work in progress, but fortunately they’re getting a big facelift in iOS 27.
In Safari, a new ‘Ask to navigate’ feature means kids have to ask their parents when they want to navigate a new website. Stricter ‘Communication Safety’ features in Screen Time settings also blur content that may contain nudity, blood, or violent content.
Finally, ‘Allocated Time’ gives parents a suggested starting point for the maximum time their child is allowed on certain apps or app categories like ‘Entertainment’ and ‘Games’, depending on their age. There’s no doubt that Apple had an eye on EU and UK regulators with its new Screen Time increases, but they certainly seem useful for parents.
7. Shortcuts Get an AI Upgrade
Shortcuts is one of those apps that is loved by some, but is too confusing for truly mass adoption. Well, iOS 27 could finally change that thanks to a new Apple Intelligence update that lets you describe the shortcut you want using natural language. We have decided to call this “vibration cutting”.
Instead of adjusting all of your inputs and variables manually, you can type something like “when I get off work, message Peter, I’m on my way with my ETA” and the Shortcuts app will automatically bring together all the apps and system actions you need.
Even Apple admitted that the current shortcuts system in iOS 26 “may seem, well, complicated.” So this promises to be a big step forward, and it’s one we’ve wanted to see for quite some time.
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