Apple has made the first public beta of iOS 27 available to developers and beta testers, offering a preview of the upcoming iPhone software release expected this fall. Key highlights include a new AI-driven Siri assistant, customizable Liquid Glass interface elements, and expanded health app capabilities.
- AI-powered Siri features a dedicated app and app integrations
- New Liquid Glass slider customizes interface translucency
- Health app adds menopause and perimenopause symptom tracking
What happened
Apple released the first public beta of iOS 27, allowing developers and public beta testers to try out the new software ahead of its expected general release this fall. This beta introduces several key updates announced at Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference in June.
Notably, iOS 27 integrates an AI-powered version of Siri, called Siri AI, providing deeper device integration and a dedicated Siri app. New UI adjustments include the Liquid Glass slider to control translucency visually. Additionally, the Health app will support cycle-tracking for menopause and perimenopause symptoms.
Why it matters
The AI-enhanced Siri represents a major evolution of Apple's voice assistant, moving from a voice command tool to a conversational AI chatbot capable of interacting across multiple apps and continuing conversations across devices. This shift could significantly improve user engagement and productivity on iPhones.
Design customization with the Liquid Glass slider offers users more control over the look and feel of interface elements, continuing Apple's focus on aesthetic refinement. Expanded health monitoring features align with growing demand for personalized health tools and demonstrate Apple's commitment to comprehensive wellbeing tracking.
What to watch next
As the public beta continues through the summer, users should watch for additional features and refinements in iOS 27 before the official release, anticipated around Apple's usual September hardware event. Stability, battery life, and feature completeness will be critical areas to assess during testing.
Apple's rollout of Siri AI capabilities on supported devices, starting with the iPhone 16 Pro, will be key to gauging the impact of AI in daily iPhone usage. Updates to the AirPods equalizer and other feature expansions will also be important as Apple continues to enhance the iOS ecosystem.