Apple Releases iOS 27 and Siri AI, but with a Waitlist
Apple has released iOS 27 and a beta of Siri AI, its rebuilt assistant powered by Google's Gemini models. There's a waitlist to join, and for now, it supports only English and skips iPhones in the EU. Apple has also added AI photo tools, child safety controls, and Apple TV to iCloud+.
Key Features of Siri AI:
- AI Photo Tools: Enhanced photo editing and analysis capabilities.
- Child Safety Controls: Improved tools for parents to manage their children's online activities.
- Apple TV in iCloud+: Access to Apple TV and Apple Arcade in a single subscription in over 100 countries.
Siri AI's Abilities:
- Personal Context: Siri leverages personal context from messages, notes, and other apps.
- Screen Visualization: It can understand and answer questions about what's on the screen.
- World Knowledge: Siri can answer general knowledge questions based on its access to global data.
- App Integration: Siri can perform actions within specific apps, with early partners including WhatsApp and Audible.
- Siri App: A dedicated Siri app is now available for the first time, allowing users to manage conversations and sync them across devices via iCloud.
- Camera Integration: Siri can answer questions about what the camera sees.
- Voice Options: New, more expressive voices and the ability to customize Siri's voice.
Availability and Accessibility:
- Waitlist: To use Siri AI, users need to join a waitlist through the Settings app. Wait times may vary.
- Language Support: Currently available only in English. Additional languages like French, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, and Spanish are expected in October.
- Device Compatibility: The device and Siri language must match, and iPhones in the EU are currently excluded.