With iOS 27, I’m actually using Siri again

For years, I barely used Siri for anything beyond menial tasks like settingtimers or alarms. That has changed with iOS 27, as I now repeatedly use Siri forcomplex requests and to make sense of on-screen context.While Siri is clearly front and center in this software update by Apple, I alsoenjoy many of the other quality-of-life updates.SIRII have been using iOS 27 on my main device since the public beta version wasreleased, and on another device through the developer beta before that. I havereally enjoyed using the new Siri, often trying to find new use cases for it —and that’s possibly the biggest win for Apple, given that I, like many people,had given up on Siri before this update.Over two years ago, Apple introduced Apple Intelligence and teased an advancedversion of Siri[https://techcrunch.com/2024/06/10/apple-intelligence-is-the-companys-new-generative-ai-offering/].And after multiple[https://techcrunch.com/2026/02/11/apples-siri-revamp-reportedly-delayed-again/]delays[https://techcrunch.com/2025/03/07/ai-powered-more-personalized-siri-is-delayed/],the company is finally shipping it, and it doesn’t disappoint. Built on the backof Google’s Gemini models, Siri is much smarter than its previous version, whichwas built on extended knowledge and a shaky ChatGPT integration. It also has anew logo and transition animation.For starters, I asked Siri about several different things in the area of sports,ranging from World Cup matches to team lineups and scores. There were somehiccups in the earlier developer versions, but most of the information wascorrect. Siri can also take complex, multistep directions. For instance, I askedit to find small or hidden and useful features for iOS 27 and add them to anote, and it did a good job of that.Plus, Siri can draft a message for you and send it to someone.And because Siri can fetch context from your files, messages, and email, you canalso ask it to look up a conversation, like one related to a delivery, and haveit create a message for returns.[https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/IMG_2789.jpeg?w=313]ImageCredits:TechCrunch (screenshot)Siri’s on-screen context was a big blessing, too. I could ask trivial questionslike who was the oldest player on the pitch when I was looking at lineups fortwo teams in the World Cup, or have it read the text on-screen out loud when Ididn’t want to read. When I was on a startup’s website, I could ask Siri to lookup its funding information and competitors.One of my favorite use cases was surfing around coffee Reddit for new roastersand beans, and asking Siri to add it to a specific note. I did face a fewdifficulties in getting Siri to add it to the right note, but eventually Idumbed down the note’s name for better consistency.The Camera app also now has Siri access, which means you can ask questions aboutthings that are visible in your viewfinder. When I was at a restaurant, I askedSiri what drink I was holding. Because of the color of the drink, it said, “Thisis green juice,” which is a good first visual assumption. When I specified thatI was at an Indian restaurant, it correctly said this could be Jaljeera or AamPanna. (It was the latter.) I also took a photo of the restaurant’s sign andasked Siri to suggest the best items from its menu.You can also take a photo of a coffee bag and ask Siri for the best way to brewthe coffee.[https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Siri-Camera-Coffee.jpeg?w=350]ImageCredits:Ivan MehtaWith iOS 27, Siri AI gets a dedicated app that lets you return to your previouschats. In Settings, users can change Siri’s voice and expressiveness, as well.The new assistant is positioned to work with other, third-party apps, and asdevelopers update their apps after the operating system rolls out, it will beinteresting to see if there is a smooth handoff between Siri and apps.[https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/IMG_2790.jpeg?w=313]ImageCredits:TechCrunch (screenshot)APPLE INTELLIGENCEApple Intelligence powers a number of AI features in iOS 27.For instance, Apple has sprinkled vibe-coding features within the new OS. Thefirst is a Shortcuts creation feature that lets you describe shortcuts andautomations in natural language to create them. That means you can start with asimple request, like “Show me today’s to-do items every morning at 8 a.m.” or“convert photo to JPEG,” instead of having to figure out how to craft theshortcut yourself. After the shortcut is created, you can make it more complexby adding more steps, like “convert selected photos to JPEG and share themthrough AirDrop.”I always wanted to create a list of songs that I heard and liked in bars andcafes, so I made a shortcut to Shazam the song and save both the track andlocation.You can also now create a custom alert in Safari to track changes to a page likea blog, item pricing, or a privacy policy page.The Photos app has some new handy tools like “reframe” and “extend.” I foundthey don’t always work that well, but in some cases, they can make an image lookbetter. Meanwhile, Apple has definitely improved its eraser functionality, whichnow leaves fewer strange artifacts when you remove an object.[https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/IMG_4509-rotated.jpeg?w=510]ImageCredits: Ivan MehtaImage Credits:Ivan Mehta[https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/IMG_2793.jpeg?w=510]ImageCredits: Ivan MehtaImage Credits:Ivan MehtaWith Apple Intelligence, when you get certain messages such as information foran event or location, smart suggestions will ask if you’d like to add them toyour Calendar or Notes. What’s more, the Passwords app can now automaticallychange passwords on your behalf by logging into a site.OTHER QUALITY-OF-LIFE IMPROVEMENTSBefore discussing any other features, I have to say that I love the newclipboard feature. This lets you paste anything — including links, photos,videos, and text — from one app to another easily. Once the item is in yourclipboard, you see a shortcut button saying “paste from Safari” (or similar) onthe keyboard, which lets you paste the item. I have been using this featurefrequently, and I can’t stress enough how life-changing this is despite it beinga small change.[https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Siri-smart-paste.jpg?w=680]ImageCredits:Screenshot by TechCrunchIn addition, iOS 27 addresses people’s gripes about the look of Liquid Glass.Users can now change its transparency based on their preferences. The control isgranular, so you don’t have to choose from presets, either.Apple also introduced intelligent network switching in this update, whichautomatically flips the connection from Wi-Fi to mobile data if there are issueswith the wireless connection. The switching is seamless and very handy when youare doing important work, so you don’t lose your internet connection.The update focuses a lot on child safety as well, as it includes a new setupflow that automatically recommends essential apps. Plus, parents can setschedules, time limits, and allowances for different days of the week. Guardianscan get notifications when children are accessing new websites and can approvethat access remotely. And the system displays a warning when children areexposed to nudity in Messages, FaceTime, and other apps.[https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/iOS-27-child-safety.jpg?w=560]ImageCredits:AppleBesides Siri AI, iOS 27 doesn’t have many marquee features, but it makeseveryday life much easier. In previous years, I would have defaulted to going toChatGPT or Gemini to get answers for a question. But with iOS 27, I find myselfusing Siri more often, even though I don’t live in Apple’s Messages and Mailapps.iOS 27 is rolling out to all users with iPhone 11 or later and iPhone SE (secondgen) or later. Users can go to Settings > General > Software Update to downloadthe latest version.