Apple Intelligence roadmap: from iOS 26.4 to iOS 27 and the 27.2 beta

Where the Apple Intelligence roadmap stands today

This page started as a forward-looking roadmap in spring 2026. Most of that roadmap is now history, so here is the current position first.

iOS 27.0.1 is the version most iPhones should be on. The iOS 27.2 beta track is where Apple is testing its next set of changes, and it is free to join. For the list of features Apple confirmed for iOS 27, see our full iOS 27 features list.

What Apple Intelligence is

Apple Intelligence is the name for the AI features Apple builds into iOS, iPadOS and macOS, rather than a single app. It works at three levels:

• On the device. The Neural Engine in Apple's chips handles tasks that a phone can run itself, such as text and photo analysis.
• Private Cloud Compute. Requests that need more processing go to Apple's own servers built for AI. Apple says it uses the data only to answer the request, does not store it, and lets independent researchers inspect the server software.
• Outside services. When you ask for something beyond Apple's own models, such as a ChatGPT answer, the request goes to that provider only after you agree.

The trade-off is deliberate. Apple gives up some of the personalisation that comes from collecting large amounts of user data in exchange for stronger privacy. Our beginner's guide to Apple Intelligence walks through each feature.

iOS 26.4: the release that was meant to deliver the new Siri

iOS 26.4 was the original internal target for the more personal Siri first shown at WWDC 2024: personal context, on-screen awareness and the ability to act inside and between apps. That target came from Bloomberg's reporting; Apple had only promised the new Siri publicly for 2026.

On 11 February 2026, Bloomberg reported that internal testing had gone badly enough for Apple to change course. The problems it described included:

• requests that should use personal context, such as finding a specific message, not returning the right result
• responses that took too long for a conversational assistant
• Siri falling back to ChatGPT when the new system could have answered
• speech recognition cutting people off when they spoke quickly
• unreliable App Intents integration, the part that lets Siri act inside third-party apps

Our breakdown of the Siri delay covers that report in full.

The reported split across iOS 26.4, 26.5 and iOS 27

Instead of one large release, the reporting described a phased rollout. This is what was expected at the time, not a list of what each update shipped.

In the run-up to WWDC, further Bloomberg reports described the iOS 27 plans in more detail: a standalone Siri app, a system-wide grammar checker, Shortcuts built from plain-English prompts and AI wallpapers. Our record of the iOS 27 AI leak lists those reports. Earlier coverage also said the new Siri would run partly on a custom model based on Google's Gemini, with sensitive requests handled through Private Cloud Compute.

iOS 27: what changed at WWDC and after

iOS 27 was announced on 8 June 2026, with developer beta 1 (24A5355q) available the same day. Apple then shipped eight developer betas over the summer, a release candidate on 9 September and the public release on 14 September 2026.

The headline is Siri AI: a conversational Siri that remembers what you asked a moment ago, understands what is on screen, draws on personal context from Messages, Mail, Photos and Notes, acts inside apps and, for the first time, has a standalone app. That is largely the Siri the February reporting said had been pushed to iOS 27. Apple also confirmed Shortcuts you describe in plain English. Other pre-launch reports, such as a grammar checker and AI wallpapers, are not confirmed; the iOS 27 features page linked above tracks both lists. Apple's AI work did not stop with iOS 27.0. The iOS 27.2 beta, which started on 16 September, is the place to see the next round of changes first.

Which iPhones get Apple Intelligence in iOS 27

The hardware cut-off has not moved: Apple Intelligence on iPhone needs an A17 Pro chip or newer. iOS 27 itself runs on a much wider range of iPhones, from iPhone 11 and iPhone SE (2nd generation) upwards.

There is no partial tier. An older iPhone, including the iPhone 15 and iPhone 14 Pro, gets the rest of iOS 27 but none of the Apple Intelligence features. If you have an iPhone 15 and are wondering what you miss, our page on iOS 27 on iPhone 15 goes through it. Owners of an iPhone 15 Pro or later get the full set.

How Apple handles outside AI providers

Apple has used outside models alongside its own for some time. ChatGPT is built into Siri and Writing Tools as an option, and you are asked before a request goes to it. Reports before WWDC 2026 said Apple planned to let people choose from more providers for some features, and that Google's Gemini would sit behind parts of the new Siri. Treat those as reports unless Apple's own feature list confirms them.

The principle Apple has kept to is that you should know when a request leaves its systems. That is the practical difference from a standalone chatbot app, which sends everything to its own servers by design.

What it means for developers

The App Intents framework is the part of the roadmap developers feel most. It is how an app describes its actions so Siri and Shortcuts can use them, and it is exactly the piece the February reporting said was proving hard to make reliable. Apps that expose clear, well-described intents are the ones the new Siri can act on. Developer documentation and session videos for the 27-series releases are on Apple's developer site.

How to try the latest Apple Intelligence features

1. Check that your iPhone has an A17 Pro chip or newer, using the table above.
2. Make an archived backup on a Mac or PC. A beta backup cannot be restored onto an older iOS version.
3. Open Settings › General › Software Update › Beta Updates.
4. Choose iOS 27 Public Beta or iOS 27 Developer Beta. Both are free with an Apple Account.
5. Go back to Software Update and install iOS 27.2 beta 4.

If you change your mind, turning off Beta Updates keeps your current build and moves the iPhone to the next public release with a higher version number. The full walkthrough is in our guide to downloading the iOS 27 beta.

What to do next

If your iPhone qualifies but you have not switched the features on, follow our guide to enabling Apple Intelligence on iPhone. It covers the settings, language support and the free storage the model download needs.

Frequently asked questions