Apple released iOS 27 to the public on September 14, 2026, five days after confirming the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and iPhone Duo at its "Surprise and Shine" event. It is the biggest Siri update in years, wrapped around a long list of smaller, genuinely useful changes. Here is what actually changed, which iPhones get it, and why some devices get a noticeably fuller version of it than others.
What’s New in iOS 27
Siri AI: An Entirely New Assistant
The headline feature is Siri AI, a rebuilt version of Siri with its own dedicated app, built in part on Google Gemini technology working alongside Apple’s own models. It carries context across devices, so a conversation started on iPhone can continue on iPad or Mac without repeating yourself, and it now has screen awareness, meaning it can understand and act on whatever is currently on your display. The Camera app gets its own Siri Mode: point the camera at something, ask a question about it, and Siri can identify it, look up details like nutrition information, and log the exchange in the Siri app for later. Write with Siri is now available system-wide, with built-in automatic proofreading wherever you type.
Smarter Shortcuts and Photos
Describe a Shortcut lets you build an automation just by typing what you want it to do, instead of assembling it step by step. The Photos app picks up Extend and Reframe tools alongside an improved cleanup tool for removing unwanted objects from a shot.
Liquid Glass, Refined
iOS 27 gives users more granular control over the Liquid Glass design introduced in iOS 26, alongside smoother animations, faster unlocking, and more fluid transitions in Control Center and between apps. Several early reviews also note phones running cooler during everyday use, hinting at real efficiency gains rather than just visual polish.
Everyday Quality-of-Life Changes
- Independent volume controls for alarms and timers, separate from media volume
- New clipboard tools built into the keyboard
- Custom Wallet passes
- Larger home screen widget options
- New parental safety features
Where Siri AI Isn’t Available Yet
Siri AI is not available on iPhone or iPad in the EU at launch, due to regulatory constraints, and remains unavailable in China while Apple works through separate regulatory issues there. The rest of iOS 27, including Liquid Glass refinements and the quality-of-life changes above, is unaffected and ships everywhere.
Which iPhones Support iOS 27
iOS 27 supports every iPhone that could already run iOS 26, going all the way back to the iPhone 11 and the second-generation iPhone SE, plus the three new devices from September’s event. That is more than 30 eligible devices in total, with no models dropped from the list this year.
- iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, iPhone 11 Pro Max, iPhone SE (2nd generation)
- iPhone 12, iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 12 Pro, iPhone 12 Pro Max
- iPhone 13, iPhone 13 mini, iPhone 13 Pro, iPhone 13 Pro Max, iPhone SE (2022)
- iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone 14 Pro, iPhone 14 Pro Max
- iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max
- iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, iPhone 16 Pro Max, iPhone 16e
- iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, iPhone Air
- iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, iPhone Duo, all three pre-loaded with iOS 27 out of the box
Not Every iPhone Gets Every Feature
Compatibility is not the same as capability here. iOS 27 installs on any iPhone 11 or newer, but two harder hardware lines determine how much of the update you actually experience. Apple Intelligence, the underlying AI framework Siri AI is built on, requires an A17 Pro chip or newer, which means iPhone 15 Pro and every model released after it. A second, higher bar applies to Siri AI’s most demanding features, including custom Siri voices: those need an A19 Pro chip or newer, a list that currently includes only the iPhone Air, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and iPhone Duo. Everything older than an iPhone 15 Pro still gets iOS 27’s performance improvements, Liquid Glass refinements, and quality-of-life features, just without Siri AI itself.
Where the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max Fit In
The iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max ship with iOS 27 already installed, and their A20 Pro chip clears every hardware bar Apple has set for this update, Apple Intelligence and the full Siri AI feature set included. If getting the complete iOS 27 experience is part of why you are upgrading, these are currently two of only six iPhones that deliver all of it.
Apple sells both in four official colors: Deep Black, Silver, Glacier Blue, and Burgundy. Craft by Merlin already has eight custom finishes open for pre-booking on this exact hardware, from full-body 24K gold to hand wrapped alligator leather and four crystal tones.
Explore the full Craft by Merlin iPhone 18 collection to see all eight.
iOS 27 and Your AirPods
Siri AI’s hands-free access carries over to AirPods, so the assistant upgrades described above extend to however you already listen. If you are also looking for AirPods in a finish Apple has never sold, Craft by Merlin hand-paints a genuine Apple AirPods 5 into a black finish, keeping every original feature, including ANC and Siri access, fully intact.
