Apple began rolling out its 2026 operating-system updates today, delivering iOS 27, macOS Golden Gate 27, watchOS 27, visionOS 27 and tvOS 27 to supported devices. The central attraction is a rebuilt, large-language-model-based Siri—though tvOS is the exception. ¹

The assistant is meant to move beyond simple voice commands. Apple says the new Siri can handle natural-language requests, explain what is on screen, search a user’s prior personal context—including emails and messages—and interact directly with supported apps. It also arrives as a dedicated app, alongside other AI tools for generating Shortcuts automations, Safari extensions and photo edits. ¹

The release also marks a cleanup phase for Liquid Glass, Apple’s controversial visual overhaul. iPhone and Mac users now get a control for the interface’s transparency, while macOS receives design adjustments responding to feedback since Liquid Glass first appeared. Golden Gate adds HDR across system UI elements and broader external-display support. ¹

But Apple’s most prominent upgrade comes with a sharp eligibility divide. iOS 27 itself reaches back to the iPhone 11, yet Siri AI requires an iPhone 15 Pro, any iPhone 16 or newer model. On the desktop, Golden Gate requires an M-series Mac. ¹

That makes the update broadly available in name but selectively transformative in practice: older compatible phones get the new operating system, not its defining intelligence. The gap may become more consequential on Macs, where Golden Gate is also the final macOS release supporting Rosetta, the compatibility layer for older Intel-built applications. Apple has preserved an exception for legacy games, but says many unmaintained Intel apps will cease to work after this cycle. ¹