Apple has started testing iOS 27.3, described as the biggest update to iOS 27 since the operating system launched in September. The beta includes previously announced features alongside new capabilities for Safari, Siri, Health and other parts of the system.
Safari adds a vertical tab layout and an Adaptive Dark Mode for websites without a built-in dark appearance. Its settings also include a new option to use Global Privacy Control.
Siri can now perform more actions across apps, including unsubscribing from mailing lists and undoing recently sent messages in Mail, managing weather locations and notifications, and handling tabs, windows and browsing history in Safari. It can also organize files and remove items that have not been accessed for a specified period. New actions span Calendar, Files, Journal, Mail, Maps, Messages, Music, Notes, Photos, Preview, Reminders, Safari, Shortcuts and Weather.
Apple is extending Siri AI support to Traditional Chinese, Vietnamese, Turkish and Norwegian. A Developer Preview will let developers connect their apps to Siri AI through App Intents, allowing the assistant to carry out custom actions and combine multiple actions into a single experience.
The redesigned Health app returns with Insights and Longevity tabs. Insights brings together recent information such as Activity Rings, heart rate, sleep score and vital signs, which Apple Intelligence can use to provide personal guidance based on a user’s goals and activities. Longevity reviews data across seven areas, including heart health, sleep, mental wellbeing, movement, metabolism, hearing and nutrition. Its Health Age feature compares health measures such as resting heart rate, VO2 max, HRV, sleep and blood-work biomarkers with a person’s actual age. The feature draws on Apple Watch data and at-home fitness assessments tracked with the iPhone camera.
Other changes include Reachability for the iPhone Duo’s outer display, activated by swiping in from either edge, and adjustments to its front-display keyboard. StandBy features introduced with the iPhone Duo are also coming to other iPhones compatible with iOS 27, including updated clock and photo faces, new Calendar and Weather faces, more customization and the ability to create multiple versions of a face.
Apple says Live Rewind and Siri Recap are available in watchOS 27.3 but also require iOS 27.3; they can be enabled in the iPhone’s Watch app. In China, Apple Intelligence is now available with features including Live Translation, Writing Tools, Visual Intelligence, message and notification summaries, Photos Clean Up and Genmoji. Siri AI and the Apple Intelligence features added in iOS 27 are not available there. The beta also appears to add support for early-warning earthquake alerts in China.
Apple Music adds Selfie Sing, which lets users record a video of themselves singing karaoke and adjust it with voice effects before sharing. Freeform gains tools for making editable custom shapes from text descriptions, along with new text styles and board background colors; custom shape generation is limited to Apple Creator Studio subscribers.
The Control Center VPN toggle can now switch between VPNs, rather than only turning the most recently used one on or off. The App Library search interface replaces its Cancel button with an X. Apple Fitness+ adds Gym Strength, a four-week workout plan tailored to a user’s goals, experience, schedule and equipment. In Weather, the control for switching between condition views now uses Liquid Glass, and the display for next-hour precipitation has been updated. RCS support is also available for Australian carrier Telstra.
Sources: MacRumors.