• 4 min read
Apple’s iOS 27 makes Siri useful at last
The iOS 27 public beta puts a rebuilt Siri at the center, with better on-device context, natural-language shortcuts, and practical upgrades across Apple apps.
Image: Engadget
Apple has released the public beta for iOS 27, and the update is dominated by one long-delayed change: a much more capable Siri.
According to Engadget, Apple is aiming for day-to-day usefulness rather than flashy features. The redesigned assistant is faster, smarter, and now gets a dedicated Siri app with persistent request history, while the company has also focused on efficiency improvements, particularly for older iPhones. Apple warns, as usual with betas, that users should back up data before installing potentially unstable software.
Siri AI features in iOS 27
Visually, iOS 27 looks a lot like iOS 26, with tweaks to transparency controls and clearer separation between translucent UI layers. The bigger shift is how Siri works. In addition to “Hey Siri” and the side button, users can now access it by swiping down from the Dynamic Island.
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The new app keeps a history of interactions, though Engadget notes some rough edges, including poor feedback when uploading images. Apple has also added “Expressive Voice”, which lets users adjust Siri’s pacing and tone, but it is limited to US English and offers just one male and one female voice.
The assistant is strongest when it can use on-device context. Engadget found that searching “Black Clover” through Siri could surface the last episode watched on Crunchyroll, something general-purpose assistants like Claude and ChatGPT cannot do in the same embedded way. Apple says Siri AI may need several days to index a phone after upgrading, and recommends keeping the device plugged in longer to speed that up.
There are still limits. In Engadget’s testing, Siri worked better with Apple’s own apps than with third-party ones like Gmail, and it struggled with some settings-related requests. At the same time, dictation appears significantly better, especially with punctuation, formatting, and longer Voice Memos transcriptions.
Siri’s multimodal features now extend into the Camera app through a new Siri tab between photo and panorama modes. It could identify a Muji-branded hexagonal pen down to the nib size, but failed on a Tiki cup from Ikea. Siri can also answer follow-up questions, such as identifying a plant or pulling dates from a poster into a calendar.
Apple is also extending Siri into writing and automation. In Mail and Messages, it can mimic a user’s usual communication style. The new “Write with Siri” control expands from the Dynamic Island, and natural-language shortcut creation is now far simpler: users describe a task in plain language, and Apple Intelligence builds the shortcut.
The Photos app adds more practical generative tools, including “Extend” for expanding images and “Spatial Reframing” for adjusting composition. Engadget says results can be solid, but artifacts are still visible, especially around text. Apple says image generation will eventually have daily usage limits, likely tied to iCloud+ subscriptions, though details have not been announced.
Other iOS 27 features coming now and later
Several features will not arrive until the fall. Apple Maps is getting a richer Flyover mode blending aerial imagery with AI, plus regional guides and editorial features. At the time of writing, Engadget says support was limited near the reviewer to London, UK and Paris, France, while the US had coverage for more than 20 cities.
Other upgrades include:
- RCS 2.7 in Messages, with inline replies, editing, and unsending
- Safari tab grouping and a Notify Me feature for stock and price tracking
- More granular Find My location sharing, including silent pause options
- Custom EQ for AirPods
- AirPods Pro 3 support for syncing heart-rate data through Gymkit
- iCloud Shared Albums cross-platform sharing with full-resolution images
- Better card scanning in Wallet
- Health support for perimenopause and menopause in cycle tracking
Engadget’s verdict is that iOS 27 succeeds most when it removes friction from common phone tasks rather than chasing headline-grabbing tricks. The assistant still has ground to make up against rivals like Gemini, but in this beta, Apple’s reset already looks more practical than impressive — and for many iPhone users, that may matter more.
Gadgets Editor
Eli is obsessed with the tangible future. He reviews phones, wearables, and everything with a battery. Known for his rigorous testing protocols and unabashed teardowns, Eli has broken more review units than he cares to admit, all in the name of discovering the truth about durability and repairability.
via Engadget
