Apple releases iOS 27 with a major Siri upgrade

In short: Apple has started rolling out iOS 27, and it includes a long-delayed upgrade to Siri that makes the assistant more useful for everyday tasks.

What happened

Apple’s iOS 27 update puts Siri front and center. TechCrunch reports that the new Siri can answer more complex questions, follow multi-step instructions, and use “on-screen context,” which means it can understand what you are looking at on your phone screen (like a helper who can see the page you are reading).

The updated Siri can also look up information tied to your own content, like files, messages, and email, and help draft and send messages. Siri now has a dedicated app that lets you return to past chats, and users can adjust Siri’s voice and how expressive it sounds.

iOS 27 also adds Siri features in the Camera app. You can ask questions about what the camera sees, such as identifying a drink or reading text out loud from a sign. TechCrunch notes that some features still have occasional hiccups, but the overall accuracy and usefulness feel improved.

Beyond Siri, iOS 27 includes other changes. Apple Intelligence, Apple’s set of built-in AI features, can help users create Shortcuts by describing what they want in plain language (like telling your phone to set up a routine instead of building it step by step). There are also updates to Photos editing tools, Safari alerts that can track changes on a page, a new clipboard paste experience, adjustable “Liquid Glass” transparency, and new child safety controls.

Why it matters

For many people, phone assistants have been limited to simple tasks like timers. If Siri can reliably handle longer requests and understand what is on your screen, it could reduce the need to switch to other apps just to get quick answers.

Source: TechCrunch AI