iOS 27 is coming to iPhone 11 and all models released after that. And while it sounds impressive that Apple’s new operating systems will support devices released in 2019, it does not mean that your old iPhone will get every new iOS 27 feature. In fact, even the iPhone 17 will not get the full suite of AI features in iOS 27.
The same holds true for iPadOS 27 and macOS 27. Many of the headline features require newer hardware, meaning some compatible iPads and Macs will miss out on parts of the update.
Older iPhones won’t get all of iOS 27’s features
Apple’s pitch for iOS 27, iPadOS 27 and macOS 27 is simple: more AI, more personalization and a sleeker experience across every device. The catch? Increasingly, Apple’s software roadmap depends heavily on hardware. While 6- and 7-year-old devices still make the official compatibility list, many of the updates’ most compelling features — in this case, the new Siri AI and on-device Apple Intelligence models — will only work with recent iPhones, iPads and Macs.
This results in a growing gap between “supported” and “fully supported,” as Apple enters an era where owning the newest hardware with the latest processors earns you access to the hottest new features.
Apple boasted about major performance improvements on older iPhones running iOS 27. And while your old iPhone 11 will get iOS 27, it won’t gain access to all the new features.
If you’re planning to install the updates this fall, here’s what your device will — and won’t — get.
Siri AI and Apple Intelligence
As mentioned, the improved Apple Intelligence experience and Siri AI are the major new features in iOS 27, iPadOS 27 and macOS 27.
Unfortunately, Apple’s latest suite of AI features will only come to iPhone 15 Pro and newer devices:
- iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max
- iPhone 16e
- iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus
- iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max
- iPhone 17e and iPhone 17
- iPhone Air
- iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max
There’s a big catch here, though. Apple’s most powerful on-device AI model only works on the iPhone 17 Pro family, the M4 iPad Pro and M3 or later Macs. This means the improved dictation and a more natural-sounding Siri voice won’t come to older devices, even when they’re running iOS 27 or macOS 27.
Also, iPhone and iPad users in the European Union won’t gain access to Siri AI, even on compatible devices, when Apple releases iOS 27 and iPadOS 27 later this year. Apple blames its ongoing dispute with the European Commission over regulations in the Digital Markets Act.
New Siri voice and customization
Besides new Siri voices, you can also customize the AI assistant’s pitch, speed, tone and accent in iOS 27. However, this improvement will only come to the following iPhones, iPads and Macs:
- iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max
- iPhone Air
- iPad with M4 or later chip and 12GB of memory
- M3 or newer Macs with 12GB of memory
- M5 Vision Pro
There’s one non-AI feature that’s exclusive to the iPhone 17 lineup: Dual Capture in FaceTime. It uses the iPhone 17 and iPhone Air’s Dual Capture capability to show video from both the front and rear cameras simultaneously during a FaceTime call.
As Apple’s software becomes more AI-focused, hardware requirements are becoming just as important as OS compatibility. So even if your device can run iOS 27, iPadOS 27 or macOS 27, don’t expect the full experience unless you own one of Apple’s newer models.
Rajesh has been writing about consumer technology for over a decade, with a strong focus on iPhones, Macs and Apple’s ecosystem. He enjoys digging into Apple software updates, hardware changes, and discovering new Mac apps that make work faster and more enjoyable.
