GoKawiilLooking ahead: Apple released the first public beta of iOS 27 this week. Set for full release this fall, iOS 27 aims to bring Siri closer to generative AI-based digital assistants such as Gemini and ChatGPT. The beta release also includes iPadOS 27, macOS 27, watchOS 27, and tvOS 27, introducing numerous other features for iPads, Macs, and other Apple devices.
Users can now preview this year's new Apple features, including AI enhancements for Siri, through the company's beta software program. However, due to RAM requirements, some AI features remain limited to the latest iPhone and iPad models.
To sign up, visit Apple's beta website and log in using an account tied to the devices on which the OS will be installed. After accepting the Beta Software Program Agreement, open the Settings app on the target devices and navigate to General > Software Update.
Apple recommends installing betas on non-critical devices after backing them up. The company also provides a Feedback Assistant app for reporting issues. To revert to the release OS, visit the company's unenroll page.
A new version of Siri, branded Siri AI, is the standout feature. Using Apple Intelligence, the assistant can describe what it sees on screen, draft documents, search the web to answer questions, and locate locally stored media based on user descriptions.
However, functions such as Expressive Voices and enhanced dictation require 12GB of RAM, limiting them to the iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, iPhone Air, and iPad models with an M4 chip or later that carry at least 12GB of memory. The same 12GB threshold applies to Macs, and iCloud+ subscribers get higher daily usage limits on cloud-dependent AI features.
Aside from AI, improved performance is one of the primary new features. iOS 27 supports every device that runs iOS 26, and older iPhones, such as the iPhone 11, will see improved task prioritization via a new CPU scheduler.
Furthermore, on all supported models, apps will launch up to 30% faster, new photos will load up to 70% faster, and AirDrop transfers will be up to 80% faster.
iOS 27 also overhauls parental controls. Child accounts, required for anyone under 13 and available up to age 18, now come with tools like Ask to Browse, which requires kids to request approval before visiting a new website, alongside a redesigned interface for monitoring screen time and purchases.
Additionally, users who dislike the Liquid Glass design Apple introduced across its devices last year can now adjust its transparency with a new opacity slider to improve readability. Meanwhile, the macOS 27 beta, code-named Golden Gate, enhances ultrawide display support for resolutions up to 5K and refresh rates up to 120Hz.
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