MacRumors

Following the WWDC 2026 keynote event, Apple has seeded the first betas of iOS 27, iPadOS 27, macOS 27, watchOS 27, tvOS 27, and visionOS 27 to developers for testing purposes.

Registered developers can opt in to betas and download the software through the Settings app on each device.

The software includes many of the new features that were shown off earlier today, though some of what Apple demoed won't be available right away. Highlights include an updated version of Siri with a ‌Siri‌ app and new AI features for apps like Photos, Camera, and Wallet.

There are dozens of new features to go through, including hundreds of smaller tweaks and changes that we'll be writing about over the next several weeks. Make sure to stay tuned to MacRumors for hands-on coverage, guides, how-tos, and an in-depth look at everything you'll want to know about the new software.

Today's betas are limited to developers who will incorporate the new features into their apps. Apple will release a public beta so anyone can test out the software in July. ‌iOS 27‌, ‌iPadOS 27‌, macOS 27, ‌watchOS 27‌, tvOS 27, and visionOS 27 will all launch to the public in the fall.

Apple today announced that iOS 27, iPadOS 27, macOS 27, watchOS 27, tvOS 27, and visionOS 27 will be available in developer beta starting today, with public betas to follow in July. The software updates will all be released in the "fall" as usual — likely September — but Apple did not provide any specific date at this time.

The revamped version of Siri that is officially named "Siri AI" will be available to test in the iOS 27, iPadOS 27, macOS 27, and visionOS 27 developer betas starting today, and it is coming to the Apple Watch in a future watchOS 27 beta. "Siri AI" will also be included in the public betas of each platform that are launching in July.

"Siri AI" requires a device that is compatible with Apple Intelligence.

The revamped version of Siri will roll out to all customers with a compatible device later this year, but even the launch version will be considered a "beta."

"Siri AI" is the more personalized version of Siri that Apple first previewed all the way back at WWDC 2024. Two years later, it is finally arriving, with the core upgrades being understanding of personal context and on-screen awareness.

"Siri AI is an entirely new version of Siri deeply integrated into iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, and Apple Vision Pro," said Apple. "It can draw on personal context understanding to search across messages, emails, photos, and more, and get things done across apps with even more systemwide app actions."

With broad world knowledge, the new Siri is able to answer many more questions.

An all-new Siri app across iOS 27, iPadOS 27, and macOS 27 provides users with a dedicated spot to fully interact with the revamped assistant.

Apple today confirmed that watchOS 27 will not support the Apple Watch Series 8, Apple Watch Ultra (first generation), or Apple Watch SE (second generation), effectively drawing a line at devices equipped with the S9 or S10 chip.

The only Apple Watch models compatible with ‌watchOS 27‌ are the Apple Watch Series 9, Series 10, Series 11, Ultra 2, Ultra 3, and SE 3.

The cuts are the biggest loss of latest generation software support for the Apple Watch to date. watchOS 26 supported exactly the same devices as watchOS 11 before it: the Apple Watch Series 6 and later, Apple Watch SE (2nd generation) and later, and all Apple Watch Ultra models. With ‌watchOS 27‌, Apple is effectively dropping three years' worth of device support in a single software update.

Update: Apple's initial compatibility list incorrectly said that the Apple Watch Series 9 would not support ‌watchOS 27‌. We've updated this article following the company's confirmation that the device will indeed get the latest software.

Apple today unveiled macOS Golden Gate, the next major version of its Mac operating system, during its WWDC 2026 keynote.

As expected, the update confirms the end of Intel Mac support. Apple said last year that macOS Tahoe would be the final release to run on pre-Apple silicon machines, and macOS 27 makes that official – you'll need an Apple silicon Mac to install it.

Here are the Macs compatible with macOS Golden Gate:

• MacBook Neo (2026)
• MacBook Air with Apple silicon (2020 and later)
• MacBook Pro with Apple silicon (2020 and later)
• iMac with Apple silicon (2021 and later)
• Mac mini with Apple silicon (2020 and later)
• Mac Studio with Apple silicon (2022 and later)
• Mac Pro with Apple silicon (2023 and later)

Four models that ran macOS Tahoe didn't make the cut this year. They include the MacBook Pro (16-inch, 2019), the MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2020, Four Thunderbolt 3 ports), the iMac (2020), and the Mac Pro (2019).

Owners of those machines aren't entirely out of luck, however. Apple usually keeps issuing security fixes for the previous macOS version well after it's superseded, so anyone sticking with Tahoe will continue to get the necessary patches. But for the latest features, though, the only path forward is a newer Mac.

The new enhanced Siri AI features that Apple announced today at WWDC 2026 will not be available in the European Union or in China when they are released in beta later this year.

Apple said that while Siri AI will be available for free with the new upcoming OS releases, it will not be available in the EU on iOS and iPadOS until it can find a path forward for regulatory approval.

Apple said EU regulators did not accept any of the company's proposed solutions to bring Siri AI to the EU while safely supporting other virtual assistants.

"We're deeply disappointed that our EU users won't have Siri AI on iPhone or iPad when we share our new software releases later this year," said Craig Federighi, Apple's senior vice president of Software Engineering. "Our hope is to eventually bring Siri AI to the EU, and we will continue to engage with EU regulators on a path forward. However, their refusal to engage constructively on solutions that preserve privacy and security means we do not currently have a timeline for Siri AI's availability on iOS and iPadOS in the EU."

When iOS 27 and iPadOS 27 launch later this year, Apple will not offer Siri AI or its new features on those platforms in the EU. That includes the new app for revisiting conversations, expanded Visual Intelligence capabilities, integrated writing tools, Siri mode in the Camera app on iPhone, and other Siri AI features introduced at WWDC26. Apple explained further in a newsroom announcement:

According to EU regulators, the DMA requires Apple to give any AI system nearly unlimited access to a user's device, as well as the ability to act on that access autonomously without a user's ongoing visibility and control. That includes the ability to read and send messages, make purchases, access files, and execute actions across any app. Security researchers have already shown that AI systems can be hijacked to steal personal data — like passwords and photos — and to permanently alter files and account settings without a user's consent. As AI systems gain more capabilities, these risks are quickly increasing in frequency and scope.

Given the serious risks to users, Apple designed a solution called Trusted System Agent — an intermediary that would allow virtual assistants to safely access the same features and capabilities as Siri AI for devices in the EU. Apple also shared a plan to launch Siri AI in the EU while gradually rolling out this new solution over an 18-month period. The European Commission said no. In fact, the European Commission did not agree to any of Apple's proposals.

The restrictions will apply to both consumers and developers. EU-based developers will be unable to test or integrate the new Siri AI features into their iPhone and iPad apps. Apple will, however, make Siri AI available in the EU on macOS 27, visionOS 27, and watchOS 27.

Apple also said that Siri AI will not be available in China while the company works through regulatory requirements.

Note: Due to the political or social nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Political News forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.

Apple today announced new AI-powered photo editing tools coming to the Photos app as part of Apple Intelligence, including an upgraded Clean Up tool, a new Extend tool, and a new Spatial Reframing feature.

Spatial Reframing allows users to reposition the virtual camera angle of a photo after it has already been taken. By touching and dragging, users can adjust the framing and perspective of a shot, with ‌Apple Intelligence‌ generating new content only to fill in the gaps created by the shift in angle. It only generates new content to fill in the gaps where the perspective has shifted, ensuring the reframed photo stays consistent with the original scene.

The Clean Up tool is also receiving what Apple calls a "big upgrade," with improved ability to remove distractions from images and more realistic infill "even when the scene is complex." A new Extend tool rounds out the trio, letting users add more background space to a photo or adjust its aspect ratio.

Apple said the new tools help photographers "enhance their images in ways that respect the original moment." All three features are processed using Apple's Private Cloud Compute infrastructure, meaning the edits are handled in the cloud while Apple says user data remains protected. The new tools will work on older photos as well as images taken with non-Apple cameras.

Apple today announced that users can now describe a shortcut in natural language, with Apple Intelligence automatically building the automation in the background.

Previously, creating a Shortcuts automation required users to manually build workflows step by step, making the feature largely the preserve of more technically minded users. With the upcoming update, users can simply describe what they want a shortcut to do in plain English text, and ‌Apple Intelligence‌ then handles the construction.

Apple demonstrated the feature with a practical example: A user asking the Shortcuts app to automatically send their estimated time of arrival to a designated recipient whenever they leave home. ‌Apple Intelligence‌ calculates the ETA based on the user's location and sends the correct time without any manual configuration.

Apple's new version of Safari browser in macOS 27 and iOS 27 can be tasked to monitor a webpage and notify you of any changes, thanks to a new built-in feature.

With "Notify Me," Safari can keep checking a website on your behalf – such as a product you've been watching for when it comes back in stock – and alert you when a change occurs.

In other upcoming feature additions, using the power of AI, Safari tabs that you have open can automatically be organized into topics.

Moreover, thanks to the new Siri AI features, Apple says that you can describe what you want in natural language, and Safari can create a custom extension that adapts web pages just for you.

It's worth noting, however, that the new enhanced Siri AI features that Apple announced today at WWDC 2026 will not be available in the European Union or in China when they are released in beta later this year.

Apple today introduced a Siri app across iOS 27, iPadOS 27, and macOS Golden Gate, providing users with a dedicated spot to interact with the revamped assistant.

In the Siri app, you can have back-and-forth conversations with Siri in text or voice modes, and your conversation history is synced across your devices via iCloud.

Apple is finally launching its more personalized version of Siri, complete with understanding of your personal context and on-screen awareness. It is called Siri AI, and it will initially be available in English only, according to Apple.

"Siri AI is an entirely new version of Siri deeply integrated into iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, and Apple Vision Pro," said Apple. "It can draw on personal context understanding to search across messages, emails, photos, and more, and get things done across apps with even more systemwide app actions."

With broad world knowledge, the new Siri is able to answer many more questions.

Siri AI is available to test in the iOS 27, iPadOS 27, macOS 27, and visionOS 27 developer betas that were released today, and it is coming to the Apple Watch in a future watchOS 27 beta. Siri AI will also be included in the public betas of each platform that are launching at some point in July, according to Apple.

Apple has shared a list of devices compatible with Siri AI. For the iPhone in particular, you will need an iPhone 15 Pro or newer.

The revamped version of Siri will roll out to all customers with a compatible device later this year, but even the launch version will be considered a "beta."

Apple today unveiled significant upgrades to Visual Intelligence, including a new Siri mode in the Camera app that can analyze real-world objects and take actions directly from what the iPhone sees.

Apple's vice president of software engineering Sebastien Marineau-Mes detailed the enhancements during today's WWDC keynote, explaining that the new ‌Siri‌ mode in Camera uses image understanding powered by Apple's foundational models to interpret what the camera is pointed at and surface contextually relevant actions.

One of the headline use cases is bill splitting. Users can aim their iPhone camera at a restaurant check and immediately divide the total between friends, with Apple Cash integration allowing payments to be sent on the spot. Apple also demoed pointing the camera at a plate of food to receive nutritional insights.

‌Visual Intelligence‌ is also coming to visionOS, bringing the same capability to Apple's spatial computing platform. ‌Siri‌ can recognize real-world objects in a user's environment and surface relevant information about them on demand.

In macOS 27, Siri's new chatbot capabilities can be accessed straight from Spotlight, Apple announced today.

During its WWDC 2026 keynote, Apple revealed that Siri's rich conversational experience can be started right inside the Spotlight prompt, accessed via Command + Space, bringing in context and chat history on the fly.

Conversation history is synced via iCloud, so you can go from device to device. It can use world knowledge, personal content, and allows you to perform tasks like writing messages or emails.

There's also a new Siri mode in Camera. Apple is introducing broader Apple Intelligence upgrades that can bring smarter capabilities to apps across the iPhone, iPad, and Mac.

Apple today announced a significantly revamped Siri at WWDC 2026, rebranding it as "‌Siri‌ AI" and unveiling out a wave of new capabilities spanning conversational depth, system-wide integration, and a redesigned interface across platforms.

Apple framed the update with the acknowledgment that "there are times when you expect more from ‌Siri‌." The company is describing the redesigned assistant as "a profoundly more capable assistant" that can now hold multi-turn conversations, draw on real-time world knowledge, and interact with personal data across apps.

‌Siri‌ is now embedded directly in the Dynamic Island, accessible by swiping down from it, pressing the side button, or saying "Hey ‌Siri‌." A revamped voice engine makes the assistant sound more expressive, with micro-adjustable voice settings available during initial setup.

During Apple's keynote demo, presenters showed ‌Siri‌ handling chained, multi-step requests with apparent ease. In one sequence, a presenter asked about a Suki Waterhouse concert, was told tickets require a lottery entry, and asked ‌Siri‌ to set a reminder when the lottery opens, which it did. In another, the assistant identified a photo's landmark, pulled up navigation to that location, and surfaced photos from a recent family trip, adding a specific image to a shared family album on request.

Another demo showcased ‌Siri‌'s ability to synthesize information across apps. A presenter asked about a dessert he had heard about at an event, and ‌Siri‌ located the relevant details from his Messages history. It then compiled the information into a watch-party menu, drafted a message to his contacts with the menu included, and presented send and edit options. In a further demo, a presenter asked about something his son had shared in a message and followed it up by asking ‌Siri‌ to compose an email on the subject.

A new dedicated ‌Siri‌ app lets users scroll back through prior conversations and kick off new ones, with conversation history synced via iCloud so sessions carry seamlessly between devices. The app is also coming to watchOS. On the Mac, ‌Siri‌ is now also integrated into Spotlight and available via right-click context menus on any file or window. On visionOS, ‌Siri‌ AI gains a 3D visualization that users can place anywhere in their space.

Apple today announced a major overhaul of its Apple Intelligence platform, revealing a new architecture built on foundation models developed in collaboration with Google using the technologies behind the Gemini family.

The new architecture centers on Apple Foundation Models co-developed with Google, which Apple says are adapted to run both on-device and on servers through its existing Private Cloud Compute infrastructure. Apple described the collaboration as a "deep" one that it says unlocks what it called a "huge upgrade" for ‌Apple Intelligence‌, bringing state-of-the-art understanding and reasoning capabilities as well as multimodal support including image understanding and generation.

The upgraded models support new capabilities use cases, including realistic image creation, advanced photo editing, and visual question answering. Certain devices will receive a higher-power version of the model with additional capabilities including speech generation, improved dictation accuracy, and stronger natural language understanding, though Apple did not specify which devices qualify.

A new system orchestrator sits at the center of the revised architecture, coordinating ‌Apple Intelligence‌ features securely across Apple's platforms. Apple says the orchestrator allows the system to tailor its responses based on the active app and the user's current task, enabling what the company described as truly system-wide intelligence.

Apple used the announcement to frame its approach as a contrast to competitors it characterized as "racing forward" without regard for users. The company reiterated that ‌Apple Intelligence‌ relies on on-device processing and Private Cloud Compute, with a promise that user data is only used to execute the immediate request and is not accessible to Apple or third parties. Apple added that outside experts can verify those privacy guarantees "at any time."

Apple at WWDC 2026 today said it has made several responsiveness improvements across its software ecosystem, speeding up system animations, app launching, and much more.

Apple says that launching iPhone and iPad apps is up to 30 percent faster across devices, while new photos taken on iPhone appear in iCloud Photos up to 70 percent faster.

Elsewhere, sharing files between devices over AirDrop is now up to 80 percent faster and transfers in the Files app are up to 50 percent faster. There's also a new CPU scheduler manager that prioritizes jobs and ensures that the right work is executed on time.

Apple also says that network transitions on its mobile devices have been improved, so that switching between cellular data and Wi-Fi when you're out and about feels a lot more seamless.

Apple today announced that AirPods will gain a custom EQ (equalizer) feature, allowing users to further personalize how their AirPods sound.

The new capability is part of Apple's next-generation software platform updates, which the company unveiled today. Custom EQ lets listeners adjust audio output to match their personal preferences, going beyond the fixed audio profiles AirPods have offered previously.

Custom EQ lets you adjust the balance of different sound frequencies, including bass, mids, and treble, to tailor audio output to your personal taste. Boosting the bass makes music feel punchier, for example, while lifting the treble adds more clarity to vocals and instruments.

AirPods already support features such as Adaptive Audio, Personalized Spatial Audio, and Conversation Awareness. Custom EQ adds a further layer of tuning on top of those.

Apple today announced that it has rebuilt the search infrastructure that powers key features like Spotlight, Photos, and Mail across all of its major next-generation software platforms.

The company says the index has been rearchitected to be more stable, efficient, and comprehensive, covering both old and new content. After updating, the new infrastructure will begin reindexing device content automatically.

New content will be indexed "almost immediately," Apple says, meaning users' files will become searchable much faster than before. After you update, the new search infrastructure goes to work indexing the content of your device.

iOS 27 is supported on iPhone 11 and all of the same iPhone models as iOS 26, Apple confirmed today during its WWDC 2026 keynote.

The announcement means that iOS 27 will be compatible with the following iPhone models when it arrives in September:

Apple is also expected to introduce broader Apple Intelligence upgrades that could bring smarter capabilities to apps across the iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Stay tuned for all the details.

Apple today announced that macOS 27 is named macOS Golden Gate.

Much like Mac OS X Snow Leopard in 2009, Apple said it focused on improving macOS's performance and dozens of underlying technologies this year.

Apple says macOS Golden Gate offers quicker AirDrop transfers, faster network file browsing, improved syncing in the Messages app, better Spotlight search suggestions, and other changes that make your Mac feel "more responsive than ever."

"With improvements at the very core of the system and enhancements to apps and experiences you rely on every day, macOS feels better than ever," said Apple.

macOS Golden Gate also has design changes. For example, apps now have a unified toolbar at the top, and sidebars now extend to the edge of the window.

A new slider on macOS 27 lets you customize the opacity of Liquid Glass.

"Updates to Liquid Glass ensure exceptional readability with more uniform refraction and improved contrast," said Apple. "Uniform toolbars, edge-to-edge sidebars, and updated window shapes and menu bar icons deliver a more refined design. And a new slider lets you easily customize how Liquid Glass looks, from ultra-clear to fully tinted."

macOS Golden Gate is finally getting major promised Apple Intelligence and Siri upgrades, including personal context and on-screen awareness.

Spotlight has a new "Search or Ask" interface that is powered by the more intelligent version of Siri, which is officially known as "Siri AI."

"Powered by Apple Intelligence, Siri AI is your conversational AI assistant with entirely new capabilities on your Mac," said Apple. "Ask open-ended questions, brainstorm ideas for work or creative projects, and engage in natural, back-and-forth conversations. And when you search in Spotlight, you can choose 'Ask Siri' as the top hit."

Apple is also revamping child safety features across its platforms, including macOS Golden Gate.

Here are the Macs compatible with macOS Golden Gate, according to Apple:

• MacBook Neo (2026)
• MacBook Air with Apple silicon (2020 and later)
• MacBook Pro with Apple silicon (2020 and later)
• iMac with Apple silicon (2021 and later)
• Mac mini with Apple silicon (2020 and later)
• Mac Studio with Apple silicon (2022 and later)
• Mac Pro with Apple silicon (2023 and later)

The first macOS 27 developer beta is available today, and the first public beta will follow in July. The update should be widely released in September, but Apple has yet to provide a specific release date.