iOS 27 Has More Than Siri AI: 5 Features iPhone Users Should Know
Apple’s iOS 27 update is now available, and while the redesigned Siri AI is one of its biggest additions, several less-publicized features could have a more immediate impact on how people use their iPhones.
Apple released iOS 27 on September 14, bringing Siri AI in beta alongside new Apple Intelligence capabilities, expanded parental controls, Safari improvements and a series of performance refinements. The update is compatible with iPhones dating back to the iPhone 11.
The most advanced AI features require newer hardware. Apple says Apple Intelligence in iOS 27 is available on the iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max and iPhone 16 models or later, while the full iOS 27 update itself supports a much wider range of devices.
Here are five iOS 27 features worth knowing about beyond the headline Siri AI upgrade.
New parental controls give parents more flexibility
Apple has significantly redesigned Screen Time and added new tools for managing children’s access to apps and websites.
One of the most notable additions is Ask to Browse, which can require children to request parental approval before visiting a new website in Safari. Apple says the feature is enabled by default for children under 13, with parents able to approve or decline requests from their own device or the child’s device.
Parents can also create schedules and time allowances for categories such as games, entertainment and social media. The controls can be adjusted for different parts of the day and for weekdays versus weekends.
Apple has also expanded Communication Safety so that it can intervene when children encounter gore or violent content in shared images and videos, in addition to its existing protections around nudity.
Safari can now watch a webpage for changes
Another useful addition is Notify Me, which lets Safari monitor webpages and alert users when something changes.
Apple specifically highlights uses such as tracking product restocks and price changes. That could make the feature useful for shoppers watching a product page, although it can also be used for other types of webpage updates.
The feature is particularly interesting because it turns Safari from a browser into something closer to a lightweight webpage monitoring tool.
Photos get three new AI editing tools
Apple Intelligence also expands what users can do after taking a picture.
The Photos app now includes Spatial Reframing, which allows users to adjust the perspective of a photo after it was captured. There is also an Extend tool for expanding the edges of an image and an upgraded Clean Up feature for removing distracting objects.
These tools are powered by Apple Intelligence, so they aren’t available across every iPhone that can install iOS 27.
Apple says the AI editing features are designed to preserve the original moment while giving users more control over composition and unwanted objects.
iOS 27 is also designed to feel faster
Apple says iOS 27 includes performance improvements throughout the system.
According to Apple’s iOS 27 documentation, app launches can be up to 30% faster, while new photos can load in the Photos library up to 70% faster. AirDrop transfers can also be up to 80% faster under Apple’s testing measurements.
The update also includes changes to Liquid Glass, networking, Mail search and other system-level experiences.
Siri AI is still the headline feature
The biggest change remains Siri AI, Apple’s new version of its voice and conversational assistant.
Siri AI can handle richer conversations, use personal context, understand what’s on screen and perform more actions across Apple’s ecosystem. Apple says it is rolling out initially as a beta in English, with additional languages planned for October.
There is also a dedicated Siri app that brings conversations together, while new Siri capabilities can help users draft text and interact with information across apps.
However, availability varies by device and region. Siri AI is not initially available on iPhone or iPad in the European Union, with Apple citing the Digital Markets Act and ongoing regulatory issues.
For most iPhone owners, that makes iOS 27 more than a Siri update. The combination of new parental controls, webpage monitoring, AI photo editing and performance improvements gives the software upgrade several practical changes that may be easier to notice in everyday use.
