This week, Apple released the first iOS 27.3 beta. The update includes multiple new features for iPhone users, including the redesigned Health app, iPhone Duo updates, and much more. Here’s everything you need to know about what’s new in iOS 27.3 …
As my colleague Ryan explained, Apple will likely release iOS 27.3 to all iPhone users sometime in December. Typically, Apple would release its x.2 software updates in December, but this year is different because iOS 27.1 was exclusive to iPhone Duo. That means that, in terms of the timeline, iOS 27.3 is essentially the equivalent of iOS 27.2.
Here’s when Apple has released its December updates in recent years:
So with that in mind, we expect iOS 27.3 to be released sometime during the first half of December.
The redesigned Health app is back in iOS 27.3. This was first available during testing of iOS 27.2, but did not ship as part of that final update.
The redesigned Health app is split into three tabs: Insights, Longevity, and Browse. The app features an all-new design that dynamically adapts based on your data, including Apple Intelligence. The Longevity tab includes a new Health age feature that uses Apple Watch data to show how your metrics track relative to your actual age.
For Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4 users, it also offers easy access to view your Readiness score every morning.
For Apple Fitness+, iOS 27.3 adds a new Gym Strength feature. This creates progressive, four-week plans based on your strength goals, experience, schedule, and available equipment.
As you complete each week of workouts, the following week adapts based on the reps and weights you logged.
For iPhone Duo users, iOS 27.3 adds Reachability support. This setting shifts the interface on the outer display to the right or left to make it easier to reach the far corners. It’s designed to make iPhone Duo easier to use with one hand, despite the wider outer display. You activate it by swiping right on the right edge of the screen or left on the left edge.
Reachability for iPhone Duo is on by default. You can turn it off in Settings > Accessibility > Touch > Reachability.
iOS 27.3 also tweaks the iPhone Duo’s software keyboard by making the keys slightly narrower and the font slightly smaller.
When it debuted, the iPhone Duo included a more robust version of StandBy with new clock faces and expanded customization options. iOS 27.3 brings the iPhone Duo’s StandBy experience to all iPhone models.
This includes the redesigned Analog and Digital Clock faces, as well as additional customization options for colors and complications. The update also adds support for Shared Albums to the Photos face.
iOS 27.3 brings several key Siri AI updates. First, the update expands Siri AI with many new capabilities across Apple apps. Apple explains:
We started rolling out these new capabilities across many Apple apps, including Calendar, Files, Finder, Journal, Mail, Maps, Messages, Music, Notes, Photos, Preview, Reminders, Safari, Shortcuts, and Weather, so users can do things like find a coffee shop they visited last week or archive files that haven’t been opened in over a year.
There are many more actions available now as examples for you to reference. To see what you can do in each app, just ask Siri AI.
With iOS 27.3, Apple is also starting to test new ways for developers to create Siri AI integrations for the first time. This is described as an “early Developer Preview.” Apple explains:
Today’s preview allows any app to bring its content and actions directly into Siri AI by using App Intents, making it easier for all apps to tap into Siri AI’s newest capabilities, including personal context understanding, onscreen awareness, natural language, and more. So people can just ask for help in their own words, and Siri AI carries out any custom action you’ve built, from checking a delivery to booking a reservation to placing an order.
While this is being tested as part of iOS 27.3, Apple says it will start shipping to customers in a few months.
iOS 27.3 also expands Siri AI to new languages, including French, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, and Spanish.
iOS 27.3 brings the original set of Apple Intelligence features to China for the first time. This does not include Siri AI or other iOS 27 updates, but it does include the following features:
iOS 27.3 is a major update to Safari. First, the update adds support for a new vertical tabs design layout on iPhone Duo’s inner display. If you choose this option, your Safari tabs will be arranged vertically along the left-hand side of Safari, rather than along the top. Vertical tabs are also available on Mac and iPad with macOS 27.3 and iPadOS 27.3.
iOS 27.3 also adds a new Adaptive Dark Mode feature. This feature can automatically apply Dark Mode to websites that don’t natively support it. You can choose to have Adaptive Dark Mode automatically kick in or use it on a site-by-site basis.
For Apple Music users, iOS 27.3 adds a new “Selfie Sing” feature that lets users record a video of themselves while singing karaoke. To use this feature, start playing a song and go to the lyrics view. Then tap the new camera button that appears on the right-hand side of the lyrics.
The update also refines the design of viewing lyrics while your iPhone is in landscape mode.
Read more: – iOS 27.3 upgrades Apple Music in two ways, here’s what’s new
What are your favorite new features in iOS 27.3? Have you spotted any other changes in the update? Let us know down in the comments.
