iOS 27.3: New features, release date, more

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 … iOS 27.3 release date 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: December 12, 2025 December 11, 2024 December 11, 2023 December 13, 2022 December 13, 2021 So with that in mind, we expect iOS 27.3 to be released sometime during the first half of December. iOS 27.3 new features Redesigned Health app 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. Apple Fitness+ 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. Read more: Apple announces Fitness+ Gym Strength program with personalized workout plans iPhone Duo updates 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. Read more: iOS 27.3 introduces new iPhone Duo feature for one-handed use Read more: iOS 27.3 changes the iPhone Duo keyboard, here’s how Revamped StandBy 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. Read more: iOS 27.3 brings the iPhone Duo’s revamped StandBy to other iPhones Siri AI updates 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. Read more: iOS 27.3 expands Siri AI with many new capabilities across Apple apps Read more: Developers can now create advanced ‘app skills’ for Siri AI iOS 27.3 also expands Siri AI to new languages, including French, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, and Spanish. Apple Intelligence in China 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: Real-time translation across Messages, FaceTime, Phone, and compatible AirPods Writing tools Visual intelligence Clean Up in Photos Genmoji Natural language search in Photos Memory creation in Photos using any prompt Priority mail in Apple Mail Email summaries in Apple Mail Smart Reply in the Mail and Messages apps Notification summaries Priority notifications Reduce Distractions new Focus Mode **Audio transcription summary **in the Notes app Summaries of call transcripts Siri improvements including Type to Siri, more natural language support, and ability to retain context during a conversation New Safari 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. Read more: iOS 27.3 and macOS 27.3 add Vertical Tabs, Adaptive Dark Mode, and more to Safari Apple Music 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 More tidbits Here are a few other changes in iOS 27.3: You can now switch between VPNs directly from Control Center, rather than just enable or disable the last one you used. In the Settings app, there’s a new “Use Global Privacy Control” toggle, but the associated support document isn’t live yet. In Freeform, there are new tools for custom shape and image generation. Wrap up 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. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.