Apple introduced iOS 27 at WWDC on June 8, 2026, and released it to the public on September 14, 2026. The update is built around a rebuilt Siri, deeper Apple Intelligence features, a stronger set of parental controls, and noticeable speed improvements.
What Stands Out
The headline addition is Siri AI, a far more capable version of Apple’s assistant. Beyond that, Apple has refined the look of Liquid Glass, added AI-powered photo editing tools, moved Visual Intelligence into the Camera app, and reworked Screen Time for families.
Smaller Upgrades Worth Noticing
Mail now ranks search results by relevance rather than simply listing them by date, which makes finding older messages far easier. Photos gains a Selection View for editing details such as location across several pictures at once, plus support for keywords and star ratings. The Music app picks up new artist pages and smoother AutoMix transitions.
Compatibility
iOS 27 runs on iPhones going back to the iPhone 11 and the second-generation iPhone SE. Some Apple Intelligence and Siri AI features, however, need newer hardware, so older phones will not get everything.
Overall, iOS 27 feels like a release focused on making the iPhone smarter and faster rather than reinventing it. The following articles in this series look at the biggest features in detail.