I normally steer clear of the first developer beta of a new iOS release. This year I thought I wouldn’t be able to resist, as I was keen to play with the new iOS 27 features, so I took a deep breath and pressed the button …
iOS 27 beta new features include an updated version of Siri with a Siri app and new AI features for apps like Photos, Camera, and Wallet.
There are dozens of new iOS 27 features to know about, including hidden tweaks and changes, so read the article to the end.
Here are all the new features in iOS 27 beta 1:
Camera App Gets Siri Mode, Updated UI
The iOS 27 Camera app has a new "Siri" mode that is available in addition to the video, photo, and other camera modes. You can get to Siri mode by swiping over to it at the bottom of the Camera app in the iOS 27 developer beta.
Siri mode integrates Visual Intelligence, so you can take a photo of something and ask Siri about it. Siri can answer questions about whatever you’re taking a photo of, identifying plants, animals, landmarks, and more.
Visual Intelligence is expanding to new categories in iOS 27, and it can help you determine the calories in a plate of food or split a bill with friends by calculating what each person owes.
In Siri mode, the main Camera button captures an image and Siri will give information about what’s in the shot. A button on the right lets you search Google Images, and a button on the left lets you ask a specific question.
In other Camera modes, there are minor interface updates. Quick access tools for turning on Night Mode, turning off Live Photo, and activating Flash are at the top center of the interface, and the full set of tools can be accessed from the bottom right instead of the top right.
Contextual Call and Messages Features
iOS 27 includes contextual suggestions in Messages and a Call Context tool that surfaces relevant information from Mail when a user phones a business.
The new Messages features offer one-tap suggestions based on the content of a conversation. If a contact asks for photos, Messages can surface a suggestion to search the library, recognizing keywords, locations, and people to find the best matches. Messages can also prompt users to create a reminder or a note directly from the conversation thread. Smart Reply in both Messages and Mail can now draw on a user’s personalized writing style, and suggestions in Mail gain the ability to take action with third-party apps.
The other headline feature is Call Context, which proactively surfaces relevant information when a user places a call to a business. If someone calls an airline to change a flight, for example, the Phone app can automatically find the relevant confirmation code or reservation number from Mail and display it during the call. Apple says Call Context looks only at who the user is calling and not at the call audio itself. The feature runs entirely on device, meaning no data is shared with Apple or any third party.
AI Tab Organization and AI-Generated Extensions
Automatic tab organization uses Apple Intelligence to group a user’s open tabs into relevant topics without any manual intervention. If someone is planning a weekend trip, for example, Safari can pull all of their travel-related tabs into a single topic. As browsing continues, Safari will slot new tabs into existing topics or create fresh ones as needed.
Apple is also introducing a way for users to create custom Safari extensions using natural language. The company described the feature as "describe an extension," letting users specify what they want in plain English and having Safari generate an extension that adapts web pages accordingly. Apple’s example was adding a toolbar button that saves and rates recipes from cooking sites.
Automatically Fix Weak and Compromised Passwords With Agentic AI
The Passwords app can now automatically update weak and compromised passwords using Apple Intelligence and Safari to take action on a user’s behalf.
Apple describes the system as agentic, with Apple Intelligence and Safari securely navigating through websites, signing in, and upgrading accounts to strong passwords without the user needing to intervene beyond an initial tap. The feature displays as a Live Activity when active.
New AI Features and Natural Language Support in Calendar and Reminders Apps
The Calendar and Reminders apps in iOS 27 let you create events and reminders using natural language commands, making it easier to manage your schedule and task list.
You can tap the "Plus" button in the Calendar app and then type in something like "Movies with Sarah at 8pm on Thursday" to schedule an event. You don’t need to go to the specific day to create an event, and you can instead just tap when the date and time suggestions appear as you type. You can also use timing like "every week" to set up a recurring event.
Reminders work in a similar way, and you can type in something like "Remind me to go grocery shopping at 2pm on Thursday" to set up a reminder for that date and time.
Visual Intelligence integrates with Calendar and Reminders, so if you’re looking at an event online and take a screenshot, or if you snap a photo of a flyer with your phone, you can have relevant information added to the Calendar app automatically. Siri is also able to intelligently add events to the Calendar app with natural language requests.
AI Video Descriptions and Smarter Notifications in Home App
iOS 27 introduced new Apple Intelligence features for the Home app, including AI-generated descriptions of HomeKit Secure Video camera clips and smarter grouping of accessory notifications.
The Home app will use Apple Intelligence to analyze recorded clips from compatible cameras and generate text descriptions summarizing what happened in them. Users can search through footage to find specific events, such as a package delivery, without needing to watch each clip individually.
The app will also surface noteworthy clips at the top of the Search page, so users can quickly identify important moments. When playing a clip, the Home app can pull together footage from multiple cameras to provide a more complete picture of an event.
Apple Intelligence will also make accessory notifications smarter. Rather than receiving a separate alert for every triggered accessory, the Home app will understand related notifications as a single ongoing activity and deliver one notification that continues to update as the activity unfolds.
Smarter Writing Tools
iOS 27 include automatic proofreading, which surfaces spelling and grammar suggestions as users type across the system. Apple is also introducing intelligent file and folder naming suggestions based on content.
Two enhancements come specifically to Mail and Messages. Apple’s composition assistant will now adapt to how a user typically communicates with different contacts, tailoring its suggestions to match individual conversational styles. Smart Reply, which proposes quick responses to incoming messages, has also been updated to draw on a user’s personalized writing style rather than offering generic reply options.
‘Create a Pass’ in Wallet App
The Wallet app in iOS 27 has a new "Create a Pass" option that’s designed to let you add passes for tickets, memberships, and more using Visual Intelligence. If you have a ticket for an event and there’s not a digital version available in the Wallet app already, you can create one using the physical pass.
By default, the Wallet app uses Visual Intelligence to scan a pass and add it, but there’s also a "Create Pass Manually" option. Pass templates include Standard, Membership, and Event.
Each type includes relevant information like name, location, or admission type, along with a scannable code drawn from an included barcode or QR code that you take a photo of. There are 12 background colors to choose from, or seven custom backgrounds for categories like theater, music, sports, and movies.
Fields can be added or removed as needed when creating a custom pass, with options like label, date, membership, contact, coupon code, VIN, insurance, and more, so most physical cards should be able to be stored digitally.
Customizable Voice Expressiveness and Pace For Siri AI
Siri AI will offer a "brand new voice experience," giving users the ability to customize how the voice assistant sounds.
On devices that support Apple’s most advanced on-device model, Siri AI will deliver more expressive voices alongside a significant improvement to systemwide dictation accuracy. Users will be able to adjust both the expressiveness and pace of Siri’s voice to their preference via a new UI with sliders.
The updated dictation engine will capture speech as polished text, automatically handling capitalization, punctuation, and formatting in real time. Apple says improved speech understanding means users can speak naturally and trust that their words will appear accurately and as intended.
iOS 27 beta is limited to developers who will incorporate the new features into their apps. Apple will release a public beta so anyone can test out iOS 27 in July. iOS 27 will launch to the public in the fall.
See also: Download iOS 27 beta on Your iPhone. How to Get It Right Now
