Apple today released the first public beta of the new iOS 27 operating system, providing early access for general users. The biggest highlight is the fully upgraded multimodal assistant Siri AI, along with improvements to the Liquid Glass interface and enhanced performance for older devices.
According to a report by tech media outlet 9to5Mac, Apple has revamped its voice assistant Siri based on its Apple Intelligence system. The upgraded Siri AI possesses continuous conversational capabilities, can delve into users’ private information, understand screen content, and perform corresponding actions in various applications.
The new Siri features a redesigned conversation bubble that extends from a dynamic island, and a separate Siri app has been added to save and sync conversation history. Additionally, the camera function now includes a new Siri Visual Intelligence mode, allowing users to quickly convert membership barcodes into wallet tickets simply by scanning them.
In addition to Siri, Apple Intelligence extends to all built-in software. Safari can now automatically categorize tabs by topic, add “Notify Me” notifications for webpage changes, and generate custom extensions directly using natural language.
Photos apps have launched AI-powered photo editing tools, including “Clean Up” to remove complex clutter, “Extend” to generate images outside the frame, and “Spatial Reframing” to adjust the camera angle after taking a photo.
In terms of visual appearance, iOS 27 further optimizes the Liquid Glass design language introduced last year, enhancing the readability of icons and text through more subtle contrasts, and adding a slider in settings that allows users to freely adjust the transparency and the depth of the frosted glass effect.
It’s worth noting that Apple has also made core optimizations to older hardware. Official data indicates that iOS 27 can improve app launch speed by up to 30%, AirDrop transfer speed by 80%, and photo loading speed by 70%. Furthermore, the switching between Wi-Fi and mobile networks is now smarter, preventing devices from clinging to weak signals.
The iOS 27 public beta supports iPhone 11 and later models. However, some Apple Intelligence features, including Siri AI, are still limited to iPhone 15 Pro and later models.
Although users can join Apple’s beta software program for free to experience the software first, the iOS 27 public beta may have issues such as battery drain, app compatibility, or unknown bugs. Users should back up their data before upgrading and try it on a non-primary or backup phone if possible.
