[DigitalToday reporter Jinju Hong (홍진주)] Apple has begun rolling out iOS 27. The update focuses on artificial intelligence (AI), revamping Siri and expanding AI use across key iPhone features such as photo editing and Shortcuts.

On Sept. 14 (local time), Business Insider and TechRadar reported that iOS 27 can be installed on iPhones that support iOS 26. Apple Intelligence and some advanced AI features are available only on supported devices, such as the iPhone 15 Pro or later. Apple also released iPadOS 27, macOS 27, watchOS 27 and visionOS 27 on the same day.

The biggest change is Siri. Apple strengthened Siri into an AI assistant that understands users' personal information and performs multiple tasks, moving beyond simple voice commands. Users can give context-dependent commands such as "Show me photos I took when I went to Spain," based on personal information in texts, emails, calendars and photos.

It can also connect and use information scattered across multiple apps, such as finding hotel reservation details in old emails or searching for a recipe a friend sent in the past. Users can handle in-app tasks by voice, including writing notes, rotating photos and playing podcasts. Apple is also providing a dedicated Siri AI app that lets users save conversations and continue them on other Apple devices.

Apple also focused on privacy. It explained that Siri indexes on-device iPhone data for a certain period to understand personal context, but is designed to prevent that data from being sent to Apple servers.

It also revamped child protection features. Parents can decide from the outset which default apps to keep open when setting up an iPhone for a child. Apple added an 'Ask to Browse' feature that requires parental permission to access new websites. Parents receive requests in Messages and can approve or deny them.

Screen Time has become more granular. Parents can set allowed usage time by category such as entertainment, games and social media, and decide which apps can be used by time of day. Apple explained that parents can compare a child's actual usage time with recommendations from clinical and child development experts. It also redesigned the parental settings screen to make the dashboard clearer and enable faster immediate controls.

AI features have also been added to the Photos app. 'Reframe' adjusts perspective and composition after a photo is taken, and AI naturally fills the background in changed areas. 'Expand' generates space outside the photo, and an improved 'Clean Up' can remove unwanted objects or people from photos.

Shortcuts has also shifted to a natural-language basis. If users describe the task they want in sentences, AI creates an automation flow by combining actions across multiple apps. It is expected to lower the barrier to using iPhone automation by removing the need to configure complex settings directly.

Everyday usability has also improved. Users can now set alarm volume separately from ringtone or system volume, and can directly adjust the transparency and tint of the 'Liquid Glass' interface introduced last year.

Performance has also improved. Apple said app launch speed is up to 30 percent faster, new image loading in the photo library is up to 70 percent faster, and AirDrop transfer speed is up to 80 percent faster.

The iOS 27 update focuses not just on adding new features but on integrating AI across the iPhone. How well Siri that understands personal context and natural-language Shortcuts are used in real-world settings is expected to be the key point to watch in this update.