⚡ TL;DR — 30-second summary
iOS 27 is Apple’s biggest update in years — a completely rebuilt Gemini-powered Siri, a new standalone AI app, Liquid Glass refinements, and the end of iPhone 11 support.
- 📅 Keynote: June 8, 2026
- 🚀 Public release: September 2026
- 📱 Drops support for: iPhone 11 series
- 🤖 AI partner: Google Gemini
In This Article
What Is iOS 27?
iOS 27 is Apple’s next-generation mobile operating system, officially announced at WWDC 2026 (Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference) on June 8, 2026. Every year, Apple uses WWDC — its annual developer event held at Apple Park in Cupertino, California — to preview the major software updates coming to iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, and Apple TV in the fall.
This year’s release is arguably the most consequential iOS update since iOS 7’s visual redesign in 2013. Apple is finally delivering the AI-powered Siri it promised back in 2024 — and it’s doing so by partnering with Google to make it happen. The WWDC 2026 tagline says it all: “All Systems Glow.”
iOS 27
Version
June 8
WWDC Keynote
Sept 2026
Public Release
$1B/yr
Paid to Google
The Siri Overhaul: Now Powered by Google Gemini
The biggest iOS 27 story is Siri — and it’s a dramatic one. After years of criticism and a $250 million legal settlement over features that were advertised but never delivered, Apple has fundamentally rebuilt its voice assistant from the ground up.
⚖️ Legal Context
Apple reached a $250 million settlement in May 2026 with iPhone buyers who argued the company falsely advertised AI Siri features during the iPhone 16 launch in September 2024 — features that remained unavailable for nearly two years. iOS 27’s rebuilt Siri is Apple’s answer. Eligible iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 owners can claim $25–$95 per device.
Here’s what’s new in iOS 27’s completely rebuilt Siri:
📱
Standalone Siri App
For the first time, Siri is a dedicated app with a chatbot-style interface — similar to ChatGPT or Gemini.
🤖
Google Gemini Inside
Apple pays Google ~$1B/year for a custom 1.2-trillion-parameter Gemini LLM powering cloud Siri features.
🧠
Personal Context
Siri reads across your emails, photos, files, and apps to give personalised answers — not generic web results.
🔗
Cross-App Actions
Multi-step tasks across apps — find a restaurant from a text, check calendar, book a reservation in one command.
👁️
On-Screen Awareness
Siri understands what’s on your screen — say “summarise this” or “reply to this email” without extra context.
🏝️
Dynamic Island Siri
Live Siri responses and actions surface in the Dynamic Island on iPhone 14 Pro and newer models.
Liquid Glass Design: What’s New in iOS 27
iOS 26, released in September 2025, introduced Apple’s new Liquid Glass design language — a translucent, frosted-glass aesthetic applied across system apps, menus, and the Home Screen. iOS 27 refines rather than replaces it, addressing the most common complaints.
✨ Liquid Glass Changes in iOS 27
- 🎚️ Opacity slider — system-wide transparency control
- 🔤 Better contrast — improved shadows, more readable text
- 🎵 Refreshed AirPods settings — cleaner, redesigned menu
- 📷 Camera app — new customisable layout mode
- ⌨️ Smarter keyboard — improved autocorrect & word suggestions
- 🗺️ Maps offline satellite — use Maps over satellite connection
Apple Intelligence: Every New iOS 27 Feature
Apple Intelligence — Apple’s umbrella term for its on-device and cloud AI features — gets a major expansion in iOS 27. Here’s the full breakdown:
| Feature | What It Does | Requires |
|---|---|---|
| 🤖 Gemini-powered Siri | Full conversational AI with personal context | iPhone 15 Pro or newer |
| 👁️ Visual Intelligence | Point camera at objects, menus, signs for instant AI analysis | iPhone 15 Pro or newer |
| 🖼️ AI Photo Editing | Advanced generative edits — remove, replace, relight | iPhone 15 or newer |
| 😀 Genmoji improvements | Higher quality, more personalised AI-generated emoji | iPhone 15 or newer |
| 🎨 Image Playground | Create AI images directly in Messages and Notes | iPhone 15 or newer |
| 🔍 Safari AI summaries | One-tap page summaries in Safari | All iOS 27 devices |
| 💰 Wallet Intelligence | AI-powered spending insights and alerts | iPhone 15 or newer |
| 🌐 Live Translation | Real-time translation in more apps and languages | All iOS 27 devices |
⚠️ Important: Full AI capabilities in iOS 27 require an iPhone 15 Pro or newer with an A17 Pro chip and at least 8GB of RAM. Older supported iPhones get software improvements but not the full Gemini-powered Siri experience.
Which iPhones Support iOS 27?
iOS 27 drops support for the iPhone 11 lineup and second-generation iPhone SE — all sharing the A13 Bionic chip. Here’s the full expected compatibility breakdown:
✅ Fully Supported
- iPhone 12 series
- iPhone 13 series
- iPhone 14 / 14 Plus
- iPhone 14 Pro / Pro Max
- iPhone 15 / 15 Plus (partial AI)
- iPhone 15 Pro / Pro Max ⭐ full AI
- iPhone 16 series ⭐ full AI
- iPhone 17 series ⭐ full AI
❌ Support Dropped
- iPhone 11
- iPhone 11 Pro
- iPhone 11 Pro Max
- iPhone SE (2nd generation)
All share the A13 Bionic chip. Your phone still works, but won’t receive security updates after autumn 2026.
iOS 27 Release Date & Beta Timeline
Apple follows a predictable annual schedule. Here’s the full iOS 27 timeline:
Jun 8
Developer Beta 1
Live now — immediately after keynote
July
Public Beta
Open to anyone via Apple Beta Program
~Sep 14
Public Release
Free update for all compatible iPhones
Sep 2026
iPhone 17 Launch
Ships with iOS 27 pre-installed
👔 CEO change: WWDC 2026 is expected to be Tim Cook’s final keynote as Apple CEO. Cook steps down September 1, 2026, with hardware chief John Ternus taking over. Cook has led Apple since 2011, growing its market cap from $350 billion to over $3 trillion.
Should You Upgrade to iOS 27?
📱 iPhone 15 Pro or newer
Upgrade immediately. iOS 27 is arguably the most compelling update in years. The rebuilt Siri alone represents a genuine step-change in daily iPhone usefulness.
📱 iPhone 12 – 14
Still worth taking. You’ll get Liquid Glass refinements and Safari AI summaries — just not the full Gemini-powered Siri. A solid free update.
📱 iPhone 11
Time to upgrade. iOS 27 ends support for your device. Without security patches after autumn 2026, keeping an unsupported phone is a real long-term risk.
For the full official WWDC announcements, visit Apple’s official WWDC 2026 page. Also check out our guide on the iPhone 17 vs Samsung Galaxy S26 comparison for the full hardware picture.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is iOS 27 coming out?
iOS 27 will be publicly released in September 2026, likely around September 14. Developer betas began on June 8, 2026, and public betas will follow in July 2026.
What is the biggest new feature in iOS 27?
The biggest feature is the complete Siri overhaul. iOS 27 introduces a standalone Siri app powered by Google’s Gemini AI, with a conversational chatbot interface, personal context access across your apps, and cross-app task completion.
Will iOS 27 work on my iPhone 11?
No. iOS 27 is expected to drop support for the iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, iPhone 11 Pro Max, and second-generation iPhone SE. The iPhone 12 is expected to be the oldest supported model. Apple will confirm the official compatibility list at the June 8 keynote.
Does iOS 27 use ChatGPT or Google Gemini?
iOS 27’s new Siri is powered by Google Gemini — specifically a custom 1.2-trillion-parameter model Apple is paying Google roughly $1 billion annually to use. ChatGPT (from OpenAI) remains available as an option within Siri for certain queries, as it was in iOS 26.
What iPhones get the full iOS 27 AI features?
Full Apple Intelligence and Gemini-powered Siri features require an iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, or any iPhone 16 or iPhone 17 model. These devices have the A17 Pro chip or newer and 8GB of RAM needed for on-device AI processing.
Is iOS 27 different from iPhone 17?
Yes. iOS 27 is the software (operating system), while iPhone 17 is the hardware (the physical device). iPhone 17 will ship with iOS 27 pre-installed, but iOS 27 will also be available as a free update for many older iPhones.
