Public betas for iOS 27, macOS 27 and more Apple platforms are now available
Apple has released public betas for iOS 27, macOS 27, watchOS 27, and iPadOS 27, introducing a new Siri AI assistant and significant performance improvements.
Siri AI takes center stage
The highlight of the new software is the long-awaited Siri AI, transforming a basic voice-command system into a modern AI assistant. It can hold natural conversations, understand follow-ups, answer questions about on-screen content, and perform multi-step actions inside apps. On recent Apple devices, you can customize the expressiveness of the assistant's voice, and a dedicated Siri app stores your history. Siri AI is available for all Apple Intelligence-capable devices. In early developer betas, there was a waitlist to access the new assistant, so some patience may be required. The new Siri only works in English for now and won't initially be available in the EU.
Beyond AI: Photos, performance, and more
Photos now has more robust editing tools, including Spatial Reframing, which adjusts composition after the photo is taken. The Extend feature outcrops images past their original boundaries, and there's an improved Clean Up tool for removing unwanted objects. Image Playground can generate higher-quality images, including photorealistic styles.
Apple promises big performance improvements: apps launch up to 30% faster, newly captured pictures appear in Photos up to 70% faster, and AirDrop transfers can be up to 80% faster. Safari can automatically organize tabs into groups and has a new Notify Me feature that monitors webpages for price changes or restocks. The Passwords app can detect weak passwords and automatically update them. In Shortcuts, you can create automations by describing what you want in natural language.
Refinements across devices
The new version addresses criticism of last year's Liquid Glass design overhaul with readability improvements and a slider to customize the effect. A public beta for AirPods adds a custom equalizer, an adaptive audio slider, and a new settings menu.
watchOS 27 brings Siri AI to the wrist, useful for quick answers during workouts. It introduces a Dynamic App Grid that surfaces frequently needed apps and a single-tap gesture to view more info from the Smart Stack. Menstrual tracking adds menopause and perimenopause support, and Workout Buddy receives upgrades including the ability to work without a nearby iPhone.
macOS 27 Golden Gate positions Siri AI as a productivity tool with access from Spotlight and screen analysis. It also includes Liquid Glass and other design improvements such as uniform toolbars, edge-to-edge sidebars, and refined window shapes. iPadOS 27 includes all iOS features, plus Visual Intelligence with Apple Pencil support and faster external SSD transfers (up to 5x faster).
How to get the beta
Enroll in the Apple Beta Software Program, then go to Settings > General > Software Update > Beta Updates and choose the public beta. Remember that these are early versions with potential bugs and battery drain. For better stability, consider waiting for the second or third public beta.
