IN A NUTSHELL: This year's iOS, iPadOS, and macOS updates mark the beginning of Apple's long-awaited response to the generative AI offerings from its rivals. The Cupertino-based company also used the opportunity to address growing concerns about child safety on mobile devices, refine its controversial Liquid Glass design language, and introduce performance improvements across its platforms.
Early testing is now available for iOS 27, iPadOS 27, macOS 27, watchOS 27, and visionOS 27. The updates, which bring generative AI features to Apple devices and strengthen child-safety controls, will enter public beta testing next month before launching this fall.
All supported Apple devices receive a revamped Siri experience that serves as the centerpiece of the company's new generative AI platform. Siri can describe what it sees on screen, locate photos based on user descriptions, search the web for information, draft documents, and perform tasks across multiple apps. Conversations are encrypted and stored in iCloud, allowing users to seamlessly continue interactions across Apple devices. However, it remains unclear how Apple has addressed the hallucination issues commonly associated with generative AI systems.
