Apple Gives Siri an AI Makeover, Unveils More Upgrades

Siri is infused with AI

Apple claims a profoundly more capable Siri and Siri AI app that will be better at generating and understanding speech as well as text and images. It can draw on the content it sees on the phone screen, gather what it needs from apps or go to the web for information, all while maintaining privacy through on-device processing and privacy-focused cloud infrastructure.

You will be able to summon Siri by swiping down from the “Dynamic Island" at the top of the display (on models that have it) to dive into what Apple suggests can be an “in-depth” conversation.

For example, in a call context, if you’re phoning the airline to change your itinerary, Siri may surface the confirmation number for your reservation, which it found in the Mail app.

Siri can draft emails or documents from scratch, edit and share photos and more just by telling it what you want. It can also help you brainstorm, automatically proofread and provide feedback on documents, but such features have become table stakes for other AI chatbots and assistants.

You might also ask Siri to show you photos from your weekend hike in the mountains without opening the Photos app. Based on the images it finds, you can refine the request by asking it to show only photos of your kids or grandkids.

iPhone users have always been able to choose from different Siri voices with various accents. Now you can adjust Siri’s voice even more by dragging new “expressivity” and “pace” sliders. According to Apple, dictation on the phone will also be more accurate.

Via AI, an Apple executive demonstrated how you might plan a World Cup watch party. He first asked Siri for the opening weekend schedule for soccer’s biggest event, then, upon viewing it, told Siri the match around which to plan the party, in this case, Brazil versus Morocco. He asked Siri for iconic dishes from both countries, and Siri delivered them with images. Next, he mentioned that his daughter wanted to contribute to the feast, so he asked Siri for “that dessert Maria mentioned recently,” the name of which he couldn’t recall. 

Siri searched the phone and found his daughter’s coconut cookie suggestion in the Messages app, which had been added to a watch party menu. Finally, he had Siri send out the menu in a group chat to the friends he was inviting. 

Apple announced that updates for iOS 27, iPadOS 27, macOS 27, watchOS 27, tvOS 27, and visionOS 27 will be released in the fall this year.

Courtesy Apple

Improvements in Photos editing

Getting kids and grandkids to pose for photos is like herding sheep; thus, we often snap photos in haste, without thinking too much about framing the image. A “spatial reframing” feature added to the Photos app lets you touch and drag an image to reposition people in a scene and change the perspective, using AI to fill in gaps and, hopefully, improve the picture. Apple says it will work with photos taken from any camera.

A separate “extend” photo tool lets you fix a crooked photo without cropping out anything important. The idea is to give the subject of an image “more breathing room,” Apple says, again, hopefully, for the better.

Notify Me in Safari

A Notify Me shopping feature in the Safari browser can let you know if a product you’ve been monitoring has a price change or is back in stock, similar to capabilities Google announced at its I/O conference.

Liquid Glass refinements

Not everyone loved the see-through Liquid Glass aesthetic for iPhones and other Apple hardware that arrived last year. The problem was that there was no way to retreat to the previous non-translucent interface. Apple heard the feedback. It is adding a Liquid Glass slider that lets you change the interface from ultra-clear to fully tinted.

AI agents can change your passwords

The built-in Passwords app on your phone can alert you to weak and compromised passwords. The problem is that changing multiple passwords can be a hassle, especially if you have to visit each website to make those changes. In Safari, Apple Intelligence can leverage AI agents to create “strong” passwords with just a tap. 

Behind the scenes and with your permission, the agents can navigate to websites, sign into eligible accounts and make the password changes on your behalf.

Split a bill with Apple Cash

You’re eating out with friends. Point the iPhone camera at the check to split the bill via Apple Cash based on what you ordered, and generate payment requests for different people.

Easier Shortcuts

Apple’s Shortcuts app is designed to help you get tasks done faster by automating multiple steps. But setting up shortcuts in the app has never been particularly easy. Now you can describe the shortcut you have in mind and Apple Intelligence will assemble the required actions.

For example, you can create a shortcut that lets your spouse know what time you expect to get home after leaving the office. You can text something like “When I’m leaving work, message my partner I’m on my way with my ETA.” You provide your work address, and Shortcuts calculates your ETA using the Maps app and sends it to your spouse via Messages. Apple says you can tweak or add to the Shortcut by describing a change, perhaps having the phone play your favorite podcast on the way.