Apple launches first public beta of iOS 27 and related operating systems
Apple has made the first public beta of iOS 27, along with iPadOS 27, watchOS 27, macOS 27 and tvOS 27, available through its Beta Software Program, with a full release expected later this year.
Apple announced that the first public beta of iOS 27 is now available, joining public betas for iPadOS 27, watchOS 27, macOS 27 and tvOS 27. The company said the stable versions are slated for release in the fall, and users can enroll in the Apple Beta Software Program to install the software on compatible devices today.
According to Apple, any iPhone that can run iOS 26 – including iPhone 11 and newer models as well as the iPhone SE (2020) and later – will support iOS 27. The update introduces a refined "Liquid Glass" design, faster app launch times, quicker photo library loading and accelerated AirDrop transfers. Apple also noted improvements to network handoffs between Wi-Fi and 5G.
The most prominent new feature is an enhanced Siri AI that accepts natural-language queries and actions, and a dedicated Siri app for easier access. The company warned that AI capabilities may be limited in the European Union due to ongoing regulatory discussions.
"While we have addressed many issues during the developer beta phase, the public beta may still contain bugs, so users should install it at their own discretion," an Apple spokesperson said.
Support for older hardware varies: all iPhone models that run iOS 26 remain compatible, but only Apple-silicon Macs can upgrade to macOS 27, as Intel-based Macs that received macOS 26 are excluded. For iPads, the beta supports iPad mini (2021) and newer, standard iPad (2021) and newer, iPad Air (2020) and newer, and iPad Pro (2020) and newer.