Apple announces iOS 27, iPadOS 27 and macOS 27: Up to 80 percent more speed through system optimizations

Apple promises the most dramatic leaps in system startup and app launching: "Up to 80 percent" faster, according to Apple. This is based on a comprehensive cleanup of system bloat, from which older devices will also benefit.

macOS 27 sheds quite a bit of historical ballast: routines, APIs and other Intel code intended for x86 Macs can now be omitted. The system, codenamed Golden Gate, runs exclusively on Apple Silicon machines with ARM architecture. This eliminates the duplicate maintenance effort for two processor worlds.

Leaner macOS code: End of the Intel era

The compatibility range is positive: iOS 27 runs on all iPhones that already handle iOS 26 – including the iPhone 11. This means owners of older devices do not necessarily have to buy a new smartphone to enjoy the optimizations.

In addition to the speed improvements, Apple also announced innovations around Siri AI, which however will not be available in the EU this coming autumn. iPhone users in the EU currently have no access to the new Siri AI in iOS 27 – the reason given is regulatory requirements in connection with the Digital Markets Act (DMA).

Siri AI remains left out in the EU

An approach to the voice assistant through romantic intentions was ruled out by Craig Federighi: "If you try to win Siri as a romantic partner, Siri has no interest in that. Siri is 100 percent not into that," he emphasized in a video podcast interview. According to Apple, the Apple AI is also designed to work in a privacy-oriented manner.

Users in Austria can join a waiting list to gradually gain access to the new Siri feature. In the current beta phase, the new Siri AI is regionally blocked; according to Apple, the regional block can however be bypassed with a technical workaround.

Path to the new Siri: US account as the key

This requires, among other things, a US Apple ID, which can be created free of charge on the Apple website. A credit card or other means of payment are not necessary, but a real US address of an American company is required. On the iPhone or iPad with iOS 27 Beta, the Austrian account must be signed out under "Settings → Apple Account → Media & Purchases" before signing in with the new US Apple ID.

If a simple account switch is not enough, a complete iPhone reset is necessary: via "Settings → General → Transfer or Reset iPhone → Erase All Content and Settings," the smartphone is completely wiped. During the subsequent new setup, English must be selected as the system language, the USA as the region, and the previously created US Apple ID must be used. In addition, Siri's voice output must be set to English in the Siri settings, as system functions of the new Siri AI are tied to the account of origin.

Overall, it is becoming clear that in autumn 2026, Apple is focusing primarily on a fundamental acceleration of its platforms, rather than rolling out many new headline features. The company promises that users will noticeably feel the speed gains in everyday use – even on devices that have already been in use for several years.

The central design decision to make macOS 27 run only on Apple Silicon machines also ends the era of Intel Macs at Apple. With the elimination of x86 support, the operating system can work leaner, faster and more energy-efficiently – which according to Apple should also be reflected in the benchmarks.