Apple released watchOS 27 with Siri AI, new watch face, Smart Stack improvements, and more. Your device becomes smarter with this major update for Apple Watch models.
Apple today introduced watchOS 27, the newest version of watchOS, the operating system developed for its smart watches. With this update, which is compatible with Apple Watch Series 9 and above models, Apple Watch Ultra 2 and above models and Apple Watch SE 3, Apple Watch users can access their devices for free through the Settings application.
The new version brings many important innovations, especially Siri AI integration, renewed watch faces, Smart Stack improvements and Liquid Glass improvements.
Siri AI: A Smarter Assistant Released
One of the most notable features of watchOS 27 is undoubtedly Siri AI integration. Presented as a more capable and conversational version of Siri, this feature helps users get their work done more easily with capabilities such as understanding personal context, performing application actions, and on-screen awareness. The new audio experience delivers more immersive and natural-sounding voices, allowing you to make Siri more personal with powerful built-in models on paired iPhone Air and iPhone 17 Pro models and above.
Plus, a dedicated Siri app provides an easy way to revisit an existing conversation or start a new one, while privately syncing conversations between your Apple products via iCloud. It is stated that an iPhone with Apple Intelligence is required for Siri AI to work in watchOS 27. This includes iPhone 15 Pro models, iPhone Air, and all iPhone 16, iPhone 17, and iPhone 18 models.
Cross-App Apple Intelligence Integrated
With watchOS 27, the integration of Apple Intelligence into various applications also attracts attention. While the Workout Buddy feature provides motivation with new insights, it can now be used even if your iPhone is not nearby when you have a Wi-Fi or cellular connection. Call Context in the phone app recognizes when you're talking to specific businesses and proactively surfaces relevant information, such as a confirmation code or reservation number, from your other apps.
Cycle Tracking Features Improved
There is also an important innovation in the field of women's health. The Cycle Tracking feature allows people aged 40 and over to receive notifications of cycle deviations suggestive of perimenopause. In this way, users can be more conscious about their health data.
New Watch Dials Have Been Designed
A new Siri Modular watch face was also introduced with the update. This face features a rectangular complication that mirrors the Smart Stack's top widget, dynamically updating to display the most relevant widget. There is also a Siri complication to quickly summon Siri, giving users faster access to their personal assistant.
Smart Stack Arrives with Improvements
The Smart Stack feature has been made more useful with watchOS 27. The one-handed tap gesture lets you tap your index finger and thumb together once to select a widget in the Smart Stack, even if your other hand is busy. Additionally, new suggestion widgets are surfaced when they are most relevant, such as parked car location, birthday reminders for a close person, balance changes on a public transport card, and the Noise app after a loud notification.
Significant Improvements Have Been Made Systemwide
watchOS 27 includes many system-wide improvements. Dynamic app grid highlights your most popular and recently used apps. The Find My Device app now combines Contacts, Devices, and Items into a single map-centered app. Media playback starts faster, and distance calculations during treadmill workouts in the Workout app are made more accurate from the first step of each walk or run. In the fitness application, post-workout route maps provide more accurate results.
To increase battery life, battery extension notifications can be proactively delivered to disable certain features like gestures, Start Workout reminders, and the Raise Wrist method of summoning Siri. Smart Stack's Shazam and Music Recognition app can identify songs offline without an internet connection and automatically delivers the results when you're online. Liquid Glass improvements increase readability with smoother refraction and improved contrast.
