A big week for Apple fans: iOS 27 Beta 2, Siri updates & Apple TV news
iOS 27 Beta 2 arrived with new Siri improvements, Apple TV updates, Liquid Glass changes and more
NEWSLETTER
6/23/20264 min read
Newsletter #1
Welcome to my first newsletter.
This week, there’s already a lot to talk about. iOS 27 Beta 2 is now available, Apple TV gets some nice updates, and there are a few other Apple changes I really wanted to share with you.
Let’s dive into the latest.
iOS 27 Beta
On June 8, Apple released the first iOS 27 beta right after the WWDC keynote. WWDC (Worldwide Developer Conferance) is Apple’s yearly event at Apple Park in Cupertino, California. At this event, we get a first look at the next version of iOS and everything Apple has been working on behind the scenes.
And as always, right after the keynote, the first developer beta became available. That’s when the fun really started: testing the new software, discovering the small changes, and seeing how iOS 27 feels in daily use. I wrote a full blog article about everything new in iOS 27 Beta 1. You can read it here.
The final version of iOS 27 is expected in September 2026. Until then, Apple will continue releasing new beta versions, usually every couple of weeks, so developers and beta testers can keep testing the software before the official release.
Then one more thing I would like to explain..
There is a difference between a developer beta and a public beta.
The developer beta is mainly meant for developers, and you need to sign up as a developer to get access. The public beta is made for everyone who wants to test the new software before the official release. Once the public beta is available, you can find it on your iPhone by going to:
Settings → General → Software Update → Beta Updates
The iOS 27 public beta 1 is expected in the first week of July.
iOS 27 Beta 2
This week, Apple released iOS 27 Beta 2 with build number 24A5370h.
The first beta gave us our first real look at iOS 27 after WWDC, and Beta 1 already felt surprisingly fast. It also received a lot of positive feedback, especially compared to last year’s iOS 26 Beta 1.
Now with Beta 2, everything feels even smoother, faster and more stable.
Here's everything new:
Apple Wallet now brings the Insights feature to more regions and more cards, which makes it easier to see useful spending and account information directly inside Wallet.
There is also a new “Write with Siri” suggestion on the iPhone and iPad keyboard. This replaces Writing Tools, which was Apple’s feature for helping you rewrite, summarize or improve text. With “Write with Siri,” it feels like Apple is making this more natural and easier to use directly from the keyboard.
iOS 27 Beta 2 adds more Liquid Glass details to the Siri UI when Siri opens from the Dynamic Island. The Dynamic Island is the small black pill-shaped area at the top of your iPhone screen. It was introduced with the iPhone 14 Pro. It shows live things like timers, music, calls and is now also part of the new Siri experience. In Beta 2, the Siri animation from the Dynamic Island looks more polished, with more of that new Liquid Glass style.
Apple added “Coming Soon” labels to Siri’s Expressive Voice Preview for Pace and Expressivity, so it looks like more voice options are still on the way. This option is part of Siri Advanced AI and is only visible if you are using an iPhone with 12GB RAM. This is currently the iPhone 17 Pro, Pro Max and iPhone Air.
iPhone Mirroring between iOS 27 and macOS 27 Golden Gate also received some improvements. With iPhone Mirroring, you can control your iPhone directly from your Mac without picking it up. You can open apps, check notifications, and use your iPhone while it stays locked next to you.
In Beta 1, there were some stability issues and crashes, but with Beta 2 this seems to be fixed.
If you use AirPods Max 2, there’s a nice little update in iOS 27 Beta 2. You can now join the beta firmware program, which means your AirPods Max 2 can test upcoming AirPods software before the final version is released. This is useful if you like trying new features early, but keep in mind that beta software can still have small bugs.
Apple TV 4K can now be updated directly from the Home app, just like a HomePod. Before, you had to go into the Apple TV settings to update the software. With this change, you can manage updates more easily directly from your iPhone inside the Home app, together with your other Apple devices.
RCS in Messages now supports inline replies. This means you can directly reply to a specific message in a conversation, making group chats and longer conversations much easier to follow. RCS is the newer version of SMS. It makes texting with non-Apple users better, with clearer photos, read receipts, typing indicators and improved group chats.
Besides the new features, Apple also fixed a few annoying bugs in Beta 2.
Photo cropping works normally again. In Beta 1, when you took a screenshot and cropped it right away, the edited version didn’t save properly. That seems to be fixed now.
The Apple Home app also feels more stable and no longer crashes when opening your connected cameras.
Apple TV with tvOS 27
Then there was also some Apple TV news.
The new Siri AI with Apple Intelligence is expected to come to tvOS 27. That could be a strong hint that Apple is working on a new Apple TV, because the current Apple TV 4K 3rd generation from 2022 is not expected to support the new Siri AI.
So this might be more than just a software update. It could also be the first sign of new Apple TV hardware coming soon.
Make the most of your Apple products:
Let’s stay connected
Come follow me on my socials for more Apple updates, hidden tips, favorite recommendations, and inspiration to get even more out of your own Apple setup.