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Apple revealed on June 8 that every iPhone capable of running iOS 26 will be able to install iOS 27, including the iPhone 11 lineup and the second-generation SE, despite previous leaks that suggested Apple would exclude them.
This was one of the most notable announcements at the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2026. Apple will officially support devices that the company originally released in 2019, which is unusually long for Apple and a reprieve for anyone still using an older device.
Apple is presenting iOS 27 as a less flashy release with a stronger focus on fixing certain issues. Apple says that apps will launch up to 30% faster, AirDrop transfers will be up to 80% quicker, photos will load 70% faster after capture, and the company has retuned the CPU scheduler so even older phones will feel snappier. iCloud shared albums will now sync full-resolution images and work better with Android and Windows.
The Gemini-Powered Siri and Its Limitations
One of the biggest incoming changes is a completely rebuilt Siri, which will act as a standalone app and feature a chat interface that looks very similar to ChatGPT or Gemini. A new “Search or Ask” panel lets you query both your phone and the internet at the same time. Siri can now read what’s on your screen and chain multi-step requests across apps. This new assistant runs on Gemini models while also using Apple’s own Private Cloud Compute.
The catch is that users will need an iPhone 15 Pro, 15 Pro Max, or any iPhone 16 or 17 model to access the new Siri and the full Apple Intelligence suite. Apple will leave older models out, meaning anyone buying a base iPhone 15 will get iOS 27 but not the marquee feature. This could have a negative impact on the resale market for non-Pro iPhone 15 models.
European users also face their own problems, as Apple confirmed that it will delay the launch of Siri AI in the region due to compliance with the Digital Markets Act. The delay won’t affect Mac, Apple Watch and Vision Pro owners in either the EU or the UK.
Cross-App AI Functionality
As well as the incoming changes to Siri AI, Apple also announced a variety of Apple Intelligence updates across many different apps. One of the changes coming to Safari gives users the ability to automatically sort tabs by topic, monitor specific pages for changes like restocks or price drops, and build custom extensions from a text description.
Users will also have the option to use one-tap AI-generated reply suggestions in messages, while Mail will offer smarter replies based on each person’s writing style. Generated video descriptions and searchable camera clips will also make it easier for people to sort through their media library. Apple won’t make Apple Intelligence features available in China while regulatory work continues.
The press release briefly mentions daily usage limits. Apple will give users a daily allowance with the free tier. It didn’t provide any details about the actual daily numbers, only stating that the limit will cover features that rely on Apple’s server infrastructure rather than on-device processing, such as image generation.
Also in Consumer Tech News
Microsoft’s Wearable AI Badge for Office Workers
Microsoft is moving back into the wearable space. The company showed off two concept devices at its annual developer conference. Microsoft designed them for office workers who rely heavily on AI tools.
One is a small desktop cube with a touch and voice screen. The other is a wearable access badge that hangs from a lanyard and provides quick access to AI agents on the go. Both devices connect to Microsoft PCs and software, letting workers interact with autonomous AI agents without always keeping their laptop at hand.
CEO Satya Nadella said that agents are a “new form factor” and part of a wider initiative called Project Oslara. The company has not released data yet, with a few hundred employees currently piloting the devices to guide future development.
Google’s Gemini 3.5 Live Translate
Google has unveiled Gemini 3.5 Live Translate, an audio model that aims to make real-time multilingual conversations feel natural. Traditional translation tools work in turns and wait for a person to finish speaking before responding.
Google’s new system listens, translates and speaks continuously, with only a few seconds of delay, so people can keep a conversation going without awkward pauses.
The model can automatically detect more than 70 spoken languages. Google created it to work well in real-world conditions, which means coping with background noise, overlapping voices, and informal speech.
Possible applications include customer support calls, guided tours, classrooms, and ride shares. Google is even trying to preserve the original speaker’s pacing and emotional tone in conversations, making the translated output sound more human.
Cash App’s $25 Tap-to-Pay ‘Magic Wand’
Block is now letting any Cash App cardholder pay $25 to turn their account into a star-shaped, NFC-enabled “magic wand” that works anywhere merchants accept contactless payments.
It marks the start of Cash App Tags, a line of battery-free hardware that links to your account when you touch the back of your phone and doesn’t require any Wi-Fi or Bluetooth pairing. The wand behaves like a regular debit card once users set it up, although they can clip it to a keychain.
Block’s hardware lead Thomas Templeton wants payments to feel visible and fun again with the new gimmick. Block will only release about 10,000 units of the device, and the company plans to integrate Tags into clothing and jewellery going forward. A WIRED writer who tested it bought coffee, a beer, and food from Taco Bell, saying that they felt like Gandalf in the process.
