Apple iOS 27 public beta is now available after three developer betas. That opens the first public test build to adventurous users ahead of the September release, but the rollout is uneven because some of the biggest additions do not reach every market.
Apple iOS 27 public beta features
Siri AI is available in the U.S. at launch. It can be triggered by saying Hey Siri, pressing and holding the iPhone's side button, or swiping down from Dynamic Island, and it can search documents, emails, and photos on the device.
It can also answer questions about a website on the screen and other general questions. It can recommend places and activities and create home automations, which turns the beta into more than a cosmetic update for people who want to try Apple's AI work before September.
EU and China limits
Visual Intelligence is not available in the EU at launch. It can identify things from the camera and return information through Siri, including help with a restaurant bill, business hours, or a plant or animal.
That feature can be opened with Camera Control. On iPhones without Camera Control, users can reach it through Control Center or by customizing Action button or Lock Screen access.
Child Safety and Photo tools
iOS 27 also expands Child Safety with easier setup, more granular control over apps and websites, and better screen time management. Communication Safety can intervene before a child sees gore or violence in videos and images shared over Messages and FaceTime, while time limits now include detailed allowances for Entertainment, Games, and Social Media.
The new photo tools add Clean Up, Extend, and Reframe. Clean Up removes unwanted objects with a tap or a gesture, Extend uses AI to add content around a photo's borders, and Reframe changes perspective, while Image Playground was already available in iOS 26.
The remaining gap is the release path for restricted features in EU and China. Apple has put the first public beta in testers' hands, but the timeline for those features to reach those markets is still the part that matters most for users deciding whether this build is worth installing.
