GoKawiilFederico Viticci’s annual iOS review is always a must-read over at MacStories, and this year is no different.
Federico writes that, while iOS 27 isn’t as “flashy” as last year, the update shows that Apple is “still capable of delivering something new while caring about the old.”
I value Federico’s opinion on AI, so I was especially keen to read his thoughts on Apple Intelligence and Siri AI in iOS 27. Here’s just one small excerpt:
The new Siri is not an agentic product that is able to carry out long-running tasks to completion, and it would be downright absurd to compare Siri AI to the likes of ChatGPT Work, Claude Cowork, Grok Bot, Hermes Agent, or OpenClaw. I would love for Siri AI to become that kind of experience, and Apple seems to think it now has a foundation in place to enable agentic behavior at some point. But as things stand now, given my reliance on Notion, Slack, and Superhuman for work, and given the simpler, less intelligent nature of Siri AI, I can’t imagine using Apple’s assistant for productivity purposes. Instead, I’ve come to appreciate Siri AI for what it is – a much better, smarter Siri that doesn’t aim to replace your favorite agent (yet) – without being upset that it’s not something more. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed using Siri with Apple Notes, Reminders, HomeKit, and third-party apps such as AskPlay, Monologue, Alyx, MusicBox, and LookUp. I’ve found Siri AI to be best at quick, one-off interactions that perhaps involve a couple of follow-ups, but not anything much longer than that. If I realize that a question I have requires deeper research and more back-and-forth, that’s where I fall back to ChatGPT or the excellent Open Minis for iOS.
Federico’s review meticulously covers every detail of iOS 27, with his always-insightful commentary. You can read it over on the MacStories website. Also be sure to read the full MacStories review of macOS 27 Golden Gate and watchOS 27, both written by John Voorhees. Check out the Club MacStories membership program to unlock a whole bunch of extras.
And of course, read along with our coverage of iOS 27 here at 9to5Mac as well. We have roundups of new features, how-tos, guides, and much more.