Apple’s iOS 27 Beta Speeds Up iPhones, as Siri AI and Photo Tools Misfire
Updated
Updated · CNET · Jul 17
Apple’s iOS 27 Beta Speeds Up iPhones, as Siri AI and Photo Tools Misfire
2 articles · Updated · CNET · Jul 17
Summary
July 13’s public beta left CNET with a mixed verdict: iOS 27 feels noticeably faster on an iPhone 16 Pro, with snappier unlocking, app launches and screen switching.
The strongest additions were practical rather than flashy, including full-screen widgets that surface more playlists, emails and schedules, plus richer hourly and weekly Weather views for precipitation and wind.
Siri AI, a centerpiece of the update, was inconsistent in testing—sometimes missing voice commands, freezing after replies or mishandling multi-step requests—and its news answers could be outdated.
Apple’s new AI photo tools, Extend and Reframe, also produced distorted results in some images, altering proportions, tattoos and even part of a subject’s head.
With iOS 27 still in beta and a broader release expected around mid-September, the update so far looks more like under-the-hood refinement than a convincing AI leap.