Apple has released the iOS 27 Release Candidate to developers, marking the final stage of testing ahead of the public launch. The update arrives after months of beta testing and gives Apple one last opportunity to address issues before iOS 27 reaches compatible iPhone models.
The iOS 27 RC is the version Apple currently intends to ship publicly. Apple can still release another RC if testing uncovers a significant problem, but the Release Candidate typically arrives shortly before the final rollout.
iOS 27 RC Arrives
The iOS 27 Release Candidate is available to developers enrolled in Apple’s beta program. Users already running an iOS 27 developer beta can check for the update under Settings > General > Software Update.
The release arrives just days before Apple’s planned public rollout, giving developers a final opportunity to test their apps against the software expected to reach users next week.
Apple does not guarantee that this RC will become the final public build. If a serious issue is discovered, another Release Candidate can be released before September 14.
Siri AI Leads iOS 27
Siri AI can understand follow-up questions, use personal context to provide more relevant answers, recognize information displayed on the screen, and perform more actions across Apple’s apps.
Apple is also introducing a dedicated Siri app where users can return to previous conversations. Siri gets a new interface centered around the Dynamic Island, while Camera Siri brings Visual Intelligence into the Camera experience.
Siri AI will launch as a beta feature, with availability depending on the iPhone model, language, and region.
Apple Intelligence Expands
Apple Intelligence gets several new capabilities in iOS 27, bringing AI-powered tools deeper into everyday iPhone tasks. Photos can use Spatial Reframing and Extend to change image composition, while an improved Clean Up tool can remove unwanted elements. Image Playground also gains more advanced, photorealistic image generation.
Safari adds Notify Me, using Apple Intelligence to monitor webpages and alert users when something important changes, such as a price drop or a product coming back in stock.
Apple Intelligence also makes apps such as Mail, Messages, Notes, and Shortcuts more capable. Users can describe what they want a Shortcut to accomplish in natural language instead of manually building each action, while other apps can use on-device intelligence to understand content and suggest useful actions.
Liquid Glass Gets More Control
Apple is adding a transparency slider that lets users adjust how clear or tinted the interface appears, along with further refinements to Liquid Glass across system apps and interface elements.
Photos Gets More Tools
Photos gains keywords and star ratings, giving users additional ways to organize and categorize their libraries.
iOS 27 also adds customizable slideshows. Users can adjust slide duration, transitions, and music before saving the finished slideshow as a video.
FaceTime And AirPods
iOS 27 adds Dual Capture to FaceTime, allowing users to capture video from both the front and rear cameras during supported FaceTime experiences.
AirPods gain Custom EQ controls, allowing users to adjust the lows, mids, and highs from AirPods settings.
Apple Pay Gets Easier
The updated Apple Pay experience makes switching between eligible payment cards more convenient, reducing the steps needed to select a preferred card before completing a purchase.
Performance Improvements
The update includes improvements to app launch times, Photos loading, AirDrop transfers, and switching between Wi-Fi and cellular connections.
Apple has also optimized system performance during the iOS 27 beta cycle to make everyday interactions faster and more responsive across supported iPhone models.
iOS 27 Release Date
Apple is scheduled to release iOS 27 publicly on September 14 following the Release Candidate released on September 9.
The final update will be available as a free software update for compatible iPhone models. Apple Intelligence features, including Siri AI, have additional hardware, language, and regional requirements.
Unless another RC is required, the build released to developers today is expected to closely match the version Apple will make available to everyone on September 14.
