With iOS 27 I use Siri again

For years, I barely used Siri for anything other than menial tasks like setting timers or alarms. This has changed with iOS 27, as I now use Siri repeatedly for complex queries and to make sense of on-screen context.

While Siri is clearly front and center in this software update from Apple, I also appreciate many other quality of life updates.

Siri

I’ve been using iOS 27 on my primary device since the public beta was released, and on another device through the developer beta before that. I’ve really enjoyed using the new Siri, often trying to find new use cases – and that’s perhaps the biggest win for Apple, given that, like many people, I had given up on Siri before this update.

More than two years ago, Apple introduced Apple Intelligence and launched an advanced version of Siri. And after several delays, the company is finally shipping it, and it doesn’t disappoint. Built on Google’s Gemini models, Siri is much smarter than its previous version, which relied on extensive knowledge and shaky ChatGPT integration. It also has a new logo and transition animation.

To start, I asked Siri about several different things in sports, ranging from World Cup matches to team lineups and scores. There were a few hiccups in previous developer releases, but most of the information was correct. Siri can also follow complex, multi-step directions. For example, I asked him to find small or hidden and useful features for iOS 27 and add them to a note, and he did a good job.

Plus, Siri can write a message for you and send it to someone.

And because Siri can retrieve the context of your files, messages, and emails, you can also ask it to search for a conversation, like one related to a delivery, and ask it to create a message for returns.

Siri’s on-screen context was also a big blessing. I could ask trivial questions like who was the oldest player on the field when I was looking at two team lineups at the World Cup, or have him read the text on the screen out loud when I didn’t want to read it. When I was on a startup’s website, I could ask Siri to search for their funding information and competitors.

One of my favorite use cases was surfing coffee Reddit for new roasters and beans, and asking Siri to add it to a specific rating. I had some trouble getting Siri to add it to the correct note, but I ultimately simplified the note name for better consistency.

The Camera app also now has Siri access, meaning you can ask questions about things visible in your viewfinder. When I was at a restaurant, I asked Siri what drink I was holding. Because of the color of the drink, it says, “It’s green juice,” which is a good first visual guess. When I clarified that I was at an Indian restaurant it was correctly stated that it could be Jaljeera or Aam Panna. (It was the latter.) I also took a photo of the restaurant’s sign and asked Siri to suggest the best dishes on its menu.

You can also take a photo of a bag of coffee and ask Siri the best way to brew the coffee.

With iOS 27, Siri AI has a dedicated app that lets you return to your previous chats. In Settings, users can also change Siri’s voice and expressiveness.

The new Assistant is positioned to work with other third-party apps, and as developers update their apps after the operating system rolls out, it will be interesting to see if there is a smooth handoff between Siri and apps.

Apple Intelligence

Apple Intelligence powers a number of AI features in iOS 27.

For example, Apple has integrated ambiance coding features into the new operating system. The first is a shortcut creation feature that lets you describe shortcuts and natural language automations to create them. This means you can start with a simple request, like “Show me the things to do today every morning at 8 a.m.” or “convert photo to JPEG,” instead of having to figure out how to create the shortcut yourself. Once the shortcut is created, you can make it more complex by adding other steps, such as “convert selected photos to JPEG and share via AirDrop.”

I always wanted to create a list of songs that I heard and loved in bars and cafes, so I created a shortcut to Shazam the song and saved the track and location.

You can also now create a custom alert in Safari to track changes to a page such as a blog, item price, or privacy policy page.

The Photos app has handy new tools like “crop” and “expand”. I’ve found that they don’t always work very well, but in some cases they can improve the appearance of an image. Meanwhile, Apple has definitely improved its eraser feature, which now leaves fewer weird artifacts when you delete an object.

With Apple Intelligence, when you receive certain messages such as information about an event or location, intelligent suggestions will ask you if you want to add them to your calendar or notes. Additionally, the Passwords app can now automatically change passwords on your behalf when you log in to a site.

Other quality of life improvements

Before we discuss other features, I have to say that I love the new clipboard feature. This allows you to paste anything, including links, photos, videos and text, from one app to another easily. Once the item is on your clipboard, you will see a shortcut button saying “Paste from Safari” (or similar) on the keyboard, which allows you to paste the item. I use this feature frequently and I can’t stress enough how life-changing it is, even if it’s a small change.

Additionally, iOS 27 addresses people’s complaints about the appearance of Liquid Glass. Users can now change its transparency according to their preferences. The control is granular, so you don’t have to choose from presets either.

Apple also introduced Smart Network Switching in this update, which automatically switches the connection from Wi-Fi to mobile data in case of problems with the wireless connection. Switching is seamless and very convenient when you’re doing important work, so you don’t lose your internet connection.

The update also focuses a lot on child safety, as it includes a new setup flow that automatically recommends essential apps. Additionally, parents can set schedules, time limits and allowances for different days of the week. Guardians can receive notifications when children access new websites and approve this access remotely. And the system displays a warning when kids are exposed to nudity in Messages, FaceTime and other apps.

Besides Siri AI, iOS 27 doesn’t have many headline features, but it makes daily life a lot easier. In previous years, I would have defaulted to going to ChatGPT or Gemini to get answers to a question. But with iOS 27, I find myself using Siri more often, even if I’m not living in Apple’s Messages and Mail apps.

iOS 27 is rolling out to all users with an iPhone 11 or later and an iPhone SE (second generation) or later. Users can go to Settings > General > Software Update to download the latest version.