Apple launches iOS 27 beta 2: Here's what's new

Apple has launched the second developer beta for the upcoming iOS 27, and it's not just bug fixes and polish (there's plenty of that, too).

The new iOS 27 beta actually brings several new features to the table, including some fairly big Siri upgrades. Let's dive in.

Siri and AI

One of the biggest upgrades in iOS 27 is the new, smarter Siri, but not every feature we expected made the grade in the first developer beta. Now, in iOS 27 beta 2, Apple has added a few extra features and paved the way for more to come in future releases.

The most significant update is the new "Write with Siri" button which appears at the top of the keyboard in several Apple apps, including Messages, Notes, and Mail. The tool was previously available but only when you selected text in these apps; now you can start writing with Siri's help right away.

Apple also fine-tuned some existing features. For example, in the standalone Siri app, you can now select and delete multiple conversations, instead of having to do it one by one.

In the Siri section of Settings, there's a new option for Visual Intelligence. Here, you can turn a feature called "Highlight to Image Search" off or on (it's off by default). Per Apple's description: "When highlighting subjects to find similar images, it automatically sends the image to third parties to provide results."

Finally, there's a Siri voice customization feature in Settings that previously didn't work. Well, it still doesn't fully function, as the Pace and Expressivity options aren't available, but at least now they're labeled as "Coming Soon."

Note that folks in the European Union won't be able to use these features. Apple hasn't yet found an agreement with Europe's regulators on the topic of AI, and most of the new AI features, including Siri upgrades, will not be available in the EU for a while.

Wallet and payments

Apple added a few new options related to its Wallet app and payments; again, not everything is fully fleshed out yet, but the features are obviously coming.

Wallet is getting Insights; you can find the feature by launching Wallet, tapping on the three dot menu in the upper right corner and selecting "Insights." The feature lets you connect accounts to Wallet to see "spending insights, recurring transactions, account balances and more." Most credit and debit card apps have something similar these days, but Apple lets you access it all in one place. The feature doesn't appear to be working yet, though.

Also, when you go to the Create a Pass option in Wallet, you now get new Texture option instead of just colors, allowing you to make your passes a little less dull.

Camera and photos

The Camera app has gotten some tweaks, albeit relatively minor; the rumored customization options and widgets are still nowhere to be seen.

As MacRumors noticed, they yellow highlights which appear around camera tools buttons are now there to indicate that a hidden feature has been enabled.

Also, in Photos, you can now use the AI tools on RAW images, too.

The rest

Among the myriad minor features we've seen in iOS 27 beta 2, there are a couple which are worth mentioning. The Weather app has been updated to look a little nicer; with some features like wind speed being easier to see. Also, if you're texting an Android user from Messages, you can now reply to a specific message. Finally, in the Home app you can now remotely update your Apple TV device.

There's also ton of bug fixes included in this release. For Apple's full release notes on iOS 27 Beta 2, check out Apple's developer website.

The final version of iOS 27 is coming this fall, together with new iPhones. The current versions are developer betas, and should not be installed by most people. Still, they give us a pretty good idea of what Apple is cooking for the widely available iOS 27, and we'll continue to dig through new versions to see whether anything has changed.