iOS 27 arrived this week as a major iPhone update. Here are three new features that could quickly become some of the most frequently used for many owners.
#1: Siri with AI
Regardless of your past views on Siri, the version included in iOS 27 feels different.
Apple says it didn’t simply give Siri a modest AI makeover. It “tore [Siri] to the ground” and “rebuilt it from the ground up.”
You can now ask Siri about almost anything, much as you would Google or ChatGPT, and receive answers that are informed and useful. It can also carry out far more actions on your iPhone than before, while working smoothly and consistently across your devices. A dedicated Siri app now keeps track of your conversations.
I’ve used the new Siri in iOS 27 for three full months, and it has become a daily go-to for me.
#2: Automatic proofreading, including grammar checks
The iPhone has long included basic spellcheck that underlines words it thinks are misspelled. In iOS 27, Apple is broadening proofreading in two ways:
– spellcheck now runs on Apple Intelligence
– a new grammar-checking tool has been added
Applying AI to spellcheck means the iPhone may suggest replacing a word even when it is spelled correctly but used incorrectly.
Misspellings are usually underlined in red, while suggested replacements and grammar problems appear in blue. Compared with ordinary typos, these markings feel more like optional suggestions than forceful warnings.
If you don’t like them, proofreading can be turned off in Settings. But I suspect these additions will be welcomed by many iOS 27 users.
#3: A major search refresh for Spotlight, Photos, and Mail
Search is essential to most apps and to the iPhone overall. iOS 27 gives Spotlight search a substantial overhaul.
With Siri fully integrated into Spotlight, the systemwide search on iPhone has been rebuilt around a more comprehensive index of your content that remains up to date throughout the day.
As a result, Spotlight should be more useful than ever, returning better and more relevant results for each search. Apple says the same new search technology behind Spotlight has also been added to Photos and Mail, improving search in those important apps. So far, my testing has made the difference clear.
Which iOS 27 features are your early favorites? Share them in the comments.
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