Apple has today released iOS 27, the company's latest version of their iPhone operating system, announced at WWDC26 in June. This release includes the new version of Siri, performance improvements, design improvements and compatibility with iPhones up to seven years old.
A big focus for Apple this release has been Artificial Intelligence (AI), Siri and Apple Intelligence improvements as the technology continues to improve at a fast pace.
Siri AI
The company launched their first efforts into generative AI with Apple Intelligence in 2024, promising a more intelligent Siri with on-screen awareness and personal context. This is finally here, two years later, aligning Siri with many of the third-party chatbots already out there, such as ChatGPT.
Now called Siri AI, Apple has integrated the assistant into Spotlight search where you can type and ask anything.
There is also a dedicated Siri app, so you can go back to conversations you had, or start new ones. You can ask Siri about the content on your screen, to search your messages, photos or mail, and it can generate images using Image Playground.
Performance Improvements
Apple has improved the reliability of iOS, following a buggy iOS 26 experience.
Content now loads faster, and animations across the operating system feel smoother and more complete.
AirDrop has also received an update to be more reliable, to work faster and much more consistently.
Other improvements includes network transitions, where moving between different places - such as your home Wi-Fi and mobile data - is smoother and you're not left without a connection for a few seconds.
Design Enhancements
The introduction of Liquid Glass last year was controversial, with some users complaining buttons were too transparent, with others saying they were not transparent enough.
iOS 27 introduces a Liquid Glass slider, so the user can set their own preference from more clear to more frosted. The frosted option resembles the older blur style of iOS 18.
App icons have also received an overhaul, with glass elements implemented directly into the icons artwork. They appear with more clarity and actually look glassy. Some icons, including Settings, Safari and Preview, have received bigger overhauls.
Child Safety and Parental Controls
Apple has introduced a range of new controls for parents to manage how their child uses their iPhone.
This includes an overhauled Screen Time interface with new controls, such as Time Allowances and Schedules. Parents can now also approve new websites, if their child visits a site they have not been on before.
Feature List
Here's a list of the biggest improvements and changes to iOS 27:
- Siri AI
- Extend and reframe images
- Improved Image Cleanup
- Overhauled Image Playground
- Landscape apps
- New parental controls
- Liquid Glass transparency slider
- New app icons
- Faster AirDrop
- Siri mode in camera
- Siri app
- Personal context
- On-screen awareness
- AirPods custom EQ
- Enhanced Apple Maps flyover
- iCloud shared albums improvements
- GymKit on iPhone
- Performance improvements
- Bug fixes
iOS 27 Compatibility
2026 lineup
- iPhone Duo
- iPhone 18 Pro Max
- iPhone 18 Pro
iPhone 17 Lineup
- iPhone 17 Pro Max
- iPhone 17 Pro
- iPhone Air
- iPhone 17
- iPhone 17e
iPhone 16 Lineup
- iPhone 16 Pro Max
- iPhone 16 Pro
- iPhone 16 Plus
- iPhone 16
- iPhone 16e
iPhone 15 Lineup
- iPhone 15 Pro Max
- iPhone 15 Pro
- iPhone 15 Plus
- iPhone 15
iPhone 14 Lineup
- iPhone 14 Pro Max
- iPhone 14 Pro
- iPhone 14 Plus
- iPhone 14
iPhone 13 Lineup
- iPhone 13 Pro Max
- iPhone 13 Pro
- iPhone 13
- iPhone 13 mini
iPhone 12 Lineup
- iPhone 12 Pro Max
- iPhone 12 Pro
- iPhone 12
- iPhone 12 mini
iPhone 11 Lineup
- iPhone 11 Pro Max
- iPhone 11 Pro
- iPhone 11
iPhone SE Lineup
- iPhone SE (3rd Generation)
- iPhone SE (2nd Generation)
Siri AI and Apple Intelligence Compatibility
2026 lineup
- iPhone Duo
- iPhone 18 Pro Max
- iPhone 18 Pro
iPhone 17 Lineup
- iPhone 17 Pro Max
- iPhone 17 Pro
- iPhone Air
- iPhone 17
- iPhone 17e
iPhone 16 Lineup
- iPhone 16 Pro Max
- iPhone 16 Pro
- iPhone 16 Plus
- iPhone 16
- iPhone 16e
Select iPhone 15 models
- iPhone 15 Pro Max
- iPhone 15 Pro
