GoKawiil
Tech News
Apple currently allows iPhone and iPad users to change Siri's voice and accent through Settings > Apple Intelligence & Siri > Voice, with new options downloading over WiFi or cellular. Users can also adjust how Siri communicates—aloud, quietly, or via on-screen text—through separate settings menus, ahead of a more comprehensive Siri redesign expected with iOS 27 in September.
Apple has added a feature to the Messages app that lets users personalize the background of individual conversations. Users can choose from built-in animated wallpapers like Color, Sky, Water, and Aurora, or upload their own photos, with the app also suggesting images from their library. An AI-powered Playground option can generate backgrounds too, though that requires an iPhone 15 Pro or newer.
Apple Intelligence shipped enabled by default with iOS 26, running in the background on eligible devices even for people who never use tools like Writing Tools, Image Playground or notification summaries. These features can consume up to 7GB of storage, and users can disable them individually or entirely through Settings without affecting core device functions.
Apple's iOS 27 update introduces a new AI-powered Siri, but it only runs on iPhone 15 Pro models and later, leaving older devices with the standard assistant. The feature currently supports English only and is unavailable in the EU and China due to regulatory restrictions. Users can enable it manually through Settings, though some may be placed on a waitlist lasting from minutes to days before gaining access.
Apple is adding an agentic AI feature to its Passwords app in iOS 27 that can automatically update weak or compromised passwords instead of requiring users to change them manually. The feature is part of a broader Apple Intelligence push and is currently in beta, with rollout timing uncertain between iOS 27.0 and a later 27.1 update.
Apple has pushed out the seventh developer beta of iOS 27, available now via Settings for those enrolled in the Apple Developer Program. This build is expected to correspond to public beta 5, with the finished software rolling out to all users next month. The update centers on Siri AI, a rebuilt assistant using new Apple Foundation Models and expanded Apple Intelligence features across the system.
Apple's iOS settings allow drivers to customize or silence Siri's behavior during CarPlay use, including disabling announced messages, skipping reply confirmations, and preventing Siri from stopping mid-sentence due to background noise. Options are found under Notifications, Accessibility, and Apple Intelligence & Siri menus in the iPhone's Settings app.
WIRED's Reece Rogers tested iOS 27's rebuilt Shortcuts app, which now includes an Apple Intelligence feature called 'Describe a Short' that lets users create automations by typing plain-language requests instead of manual scripting. Rogers, a longtime Shortcuts skeptic, says the tool successfully generated useful daily automations, including a habit-breaking shortcut that questions him whenever he opens Instagram, though some glitches occurred during beta testing.