Apple unveils new Siri AI, dedicated app, and enhanced Apple Intelligence features in iOS 27

At WWDC 2026, Apple is detailing its Apple Intelligence improvements, starting with its Google Gemini collaboration. The company is also announcing the new Siri experience, and improvements to apps through AI.

Here’s what’s new with Apple Intelligence and Siri

Apple says it has a second-gen on-device model for Apple Intelligence. Dictation is improved as part of the new experience. Personal context understanding comes as part of the new system.

Apple Intelligence will use Spotlight’s semantic index to improve search and power awareness. The new system also includes broad world knowledge and app actions. On-screen awareness comes to Apple Intelligence as well.

Apple says this new system powers system-wide features, app capabilities, and the new Siri experience.

Mike Rockwell, VP of Siri Engineering, is unveiling the new version of Siri, unlocked by Apple Intelligence. Rockwell says Siri AI provides a more capable assistant with a dedicated Siri app. It includes a more capable assistant, he says.

The new Siri includes the rumored design change that replaces the colorful edge effect with a Dynamic Island-based interface with a dark theme.

Rockwell also demoes Siri’s on-screen awareness, asking about a location in an Instagram post. It also knows about contacts without providing specific details in each prompt. The new Siri features, so far at least, deliver on what Apple demonstrated two years ago at WWDC 2024, originally planned for iOS 18.

The new Siri also has a more customizable voice feature, expanding beyond just a selection of pre-set voices to more options like pace and expressivity. “Write with Siri” is also part of the new system. CarPlay and AirPods benefit from the enhanced Siri as well.

Siri is opened on iOS by swiping down on the Dynamic Island, or with one of the existing Siri invoke methods.

On the Mac, Siri is now integrated with Spotlight. Siri has a new menu bar icon that’s finally monochrome, not colorful, and there’s a dedicated app on the Mac as well.

Apple specifically says Siri chats are synced privately across iCloud.

Siri AI is also part of the new watchOS 27 update on Apple Watch. On Apple Vision Pro, Siri is a floating orb that you can just gaze at to activate without a wake up.

As rumored, Siri mode is built-in to the new Camera app on iOS 27 as a dedicated camera mode. It can split a bill, as rumored, as well. The Siri mode in camera can add multiple calendar events to your calendar by pointing at a poster. Visual Intelligence with Siri is also coming to visionOS 27.

Apple Intelligence gains a new system-wide automatic proofreading feature, and Write with Siri can learn how you communicate with specific contacts.

Siri AI will arrive in English-only to start before expanding to more languages, Apple says.

How Apple Intelligence is improving system apps

Next, Apple is detailing app-specific improvements that Apple Intelligence is bringing.

Safari is adding tab organization based on topics. Topics can automatically update as you browse, and you can close tabs based on topics, or move them to tab groups. Safari is adding a new Notify Me feature to monitor specific pages for change based on natural language input.

“Describe an extension” is a new way to create custom extensions on the web, based on natural language input as well.

Passwords app is adding the ability to auto-update multiple passwords with one tap, using Apple Intelligence.

Messages will use context in conversations to add suggestions like creating a reminder or note, and finding specific photos mentioned in a chat.

Mail is gaining more capable suggestions based on context, and Calendar is adding natural language input for event creation (including contacts and locations).

Phone app is adding call context to help surface information like flight confirmation numbers when calling an airline. It’s all running on-device, Apple says.

Home app is adding accessory notifications that draw on Apple Intelligence to offer a single, updating alert. HomeKit Secure Video is adding Apple Intelligence-powered clip activity descriptions in text and search. 4K support is coming to Apple HomeKit Secure Video, Apple says.

Shortcuts app is adding Apple Intelligence-powered natural language input to create shortcuts based on what you want them to achieve.

There’s also an all-new Image Playgrounds app, shifting from low quality AI image generation to using AI to enhance your own images, making backgrounds, contact posters, and much more.

Photos app includes an enhanced Clean Up tool, building on the version that first shipped with Apple Intelligence two years ago. Cropping is improved with an AI reframing Extend feature. And Spatial Reframing is a new way to change how a photo was framed in post.

Clean Up, Extend, and Reframe are part of Apple’s OS 27 Photos tools. These tools work with existing photos, including shots from other cameras, not just iPhones.

Most Apple Intelligence features will be available for all devices capable of using Apple Intelligence today. Select higher-end features will require newer devices, Apple says.

Apple says some Apple Intelligence and Siri AI will have daily limits, with increased limits available for iCloud+ subscribers. Siri AI will launch in beta for customers later this year and for developers later today. Siri AI won’t be available in the EU or China for now.

See 9to5Mac’s WWDC 2026 News Hub for all the announcements in one place.