Apple prepares iOS 27 with a rebuilt Siri and expanded visual intelligence

iOS 27 is Apple's biggest AI-forward software update in years, headlined by a Siri that Apple has rebuilt for more natural, conversational interaction and faster responses. The release also brings expanded camera-based visual intelligence — surfacing information about what the camera sees in real time — plus AI-driven editing tools in Photos and additional controls designed to protect younger iPhone users. The update emphasizes Apple Intelligence features alongside integrations spanning ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini and other third-party models.

On compatibility, iOS 27 supports devices back to the iPhone 11, but Apple is gating the most advanced AI features to newer silicon, a segmentation timed to coincide with the expected launch of new iPhone hardware. That hardware tie is deliberate: the marquee Siri and visual-intelligence features become a reason to upgrade.

The strategic subtext, reported separately, is that the overhauled Siri leans on a licensed Google Gemini model rather than a purely in-house system — a striking concession for a company built on vertical integration. For Apple, the calculus is shipping a genuinely capable assistant now versus waiting for its own models to catch up. The risk is dependency and the perception that Apple has fallen behind on foundation models; the payoff is a Siri that finally competes with what users already get from standalone AI apps. Reception will hinge on whether the rebuilt Siri actually feels different in daily use, an area where Apple's prior Siri promises have underdelivered.