Siri AI rolls out to select Apple devices as compatibility splits across iPhone models

Will your iPhone support Siri AI? The answer is complicated

Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google. ZDNET's key takeaways * Only newer devices can access all the features of Siri AI. * Older devices can't use the advanced on-device AI model. * The advanced model lets you tweak Siri's voice and dictate accurately. Apple spent much of its WWDC keynote on Monday touting Siri AI. This new and hopefully improved version of the voice assistant promises to act more like other AI-powered chatbots. Assuming Siri AI lives up to its advance billing, that's great news for Apple users. But depending on your iPhone, you may not be able to enjoy all the features. Only certain iPhones (as well as iPads and Macs) will fully support Siri AI and Apple Intelligence in general. How will this play out? I'll answer that question shortly. But first, let's go over a few details. Also: Apple's new Siri AI comes with hidden costs that power users should know of Apple Intelligence was introduced with iOS 18 in 2024. Though the feature failed to live up to its hype, it did eventually introduce a variety of AI skills, including writing tools, image generation, live translation, visual intelligence via your camera, and even ChatGPT integration. What's new in iOS 27 is the AI flavor of Siri. And that kicks in a host of other capabilities. What's new with Siri The new Siri promises to be more conversational, more responsive, and more helpful. Toward that end, you'll be able to ask Siri open-ended questions and engage in ongoing voice chats. Siri AI will understand what's on the screen and on your device and run tasks across your apps and your files. A dedicated Siri app will work similarly to the dedicated apps from other AIs. There are a couple of additional features. You'll be able to customize the expressiveness and pace of Siri's voice. You'll also be able to take advantage of a more accurate type of dictation in which Siri automatically adds punctuation and formatting as you speak. Sounds cool, but here's where your access will depend on your device. To assist you, Siri will use both on-device and cloud-based AI models depending on the type of query. On your device, the AI will tap into two different models. The basic one is called AFM 3 Core. (The AFM stands for Apple Foundation Models). The more advanced one is naturally called AFM 3 Core Advanced. Only devices that support AFM 3 Core Advanced will be able to use the Siri voice customizations and more accurate dictation, and these will be limited to the latest models. Also: How to download the iOS 27 developer beta right now (and which models support it) With all that out of the way, let's break this down. To use Siri AI and the on-device AFM 3 Core and Advanced models, you'll need one of the following: * iPhone: iPhone 17 Pro or Pro Max, iPhone Air * iPad: iPad models with M4 and later, and at least 12GB of memory * Mac: Mac models with M3 and later, and at least 12GB of memory * Apple Vision Pro: Apple Vision Pro (M5) To access Siri AI and only the basic AFM 3 Core model, you'll need one of the following: * iPhone: iPhone 17 or 17e, iPhone 17 Pro or Pro Max, iPhone Air, iPhone 16 or 16e, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, iPhone 16 Pro Max, iPhone 15 Pro or Pro Max * iPad: iPad Pro M1 and later, iPad Air M1 and later, iPad mini with A17 Pro * Mac: MacBook Neo, MacBook Air with M1 and later, MacBook Pro with M1 and later, iMac with M1 and later, Mac mini with M1 and later, Mac Studio with M1 Max and later, Mac Pro with M2 Ultra and later * Apple Vision Pro: Apple Vision Pro M2 and later * Apple Watch: Series 9 and later, Ultra 2 and later, Apple Watch SE 3 Also: Every iPhone model that supports the iOS 27 update (and which older ones don't) Of course, you'll also need the 27 versions of iOS, iPadOS, and the rest. iOS 27 is currently available as a developer beta, should be out next month as a public beta, and is expected to officially launch in September. To run the 27 OS, you'll need one of the following: * iPhone: iPhone 11 or later, latest iPhone SE, iPhone Air * iPad: Pad Pro M4 and later, iPad Pro 12.9-inch 4th generation and later, iPad Pro 11-inch 2nd generation and later, iPad Air 13-inch M2 and later, iPad Air 11-inch M2, M3, and M4, iPad Air 4th generation and later, iPad with A16, iPad 9th generation and later, iPad mini with A17 Pro, iPad mini 6th generation and later * Mac: MacBook Air M1 and later, MacBook Pro M1, MacBook Neo, iMac M1 and later, Mac mini M1 and later, Mac Studio M1 and later, Mac Pro M2/2023 and later * Apple Watch: Apple Watch SE 3rd Gen, Apple Watch Series 10, Apple Watch Series 11, Apple Watch Ultra 2, Apple Watch Ultra 3 Yes, even if your device supports iOS 27, you may not be able to use Siri AI to its full extent or at all. If you are keen to take full advantage of the new Siri and your device isn't supported, then this may be the year to upgrade to a newer model. Also: I never use a new iPhone until I change these settings - why they're such a big deal Currently, Siri AI is available through the iOS 27 developer preview via a waitlist. But right now, the line appears to be backed up. I signed up for the waitlist a day ago, and I'm still waiting for access. To try this on a supported iPhone or iPad, go to Settings, select Siri, and then tap the link to join the waitlist. And then just wait.

Siri AI is coming to newer Apple devices only, here's the full list

Siri AI is a major upgrade and big highlight of iOS 27, macOS Golden Gate, watchOS 27, and more. But only newer Apple devices will support the overhauled Siri. Here's the full list of Siri AI-compatible hardware across iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, and Apple Vision Pro. Here are the Apple products that will support Siri AI when it launches iOS 27 and its companion updates will bring the major Siri overhaul we've been waiting for. Siri AI is currently in beta and will launch to the public this fall. But Siri AI will only be available on compatible hardware. Here are all of the Apple products with support for the new Siri AI. iPhone * iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max * iPhone Air * iPhone 17 * iPhone 17e * iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max * iPhone 16 and 16 Plus * iPhone 16e * iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max iPad * All models with Apple silicon (M1 chip and later, and A17 Pro chip and later) Mac * All models with Apple silicon (M1 chip and later, and A18 Pro chip) Apple Watch (when paired with AI-supported iPhone) * Apple Watch Series 9 and later * Apple Watch Ultra 2 and later * Apple Watch SE 3 Apple Vision Pro * All models All of the products above will support Siri AI when it launches. However, there are certain aspects of the Siri experience that will be even better on select hardware. For example, the ability to fully customize the pace and expressivity of Siri AI's voice is only available on select hardware: iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, iPhone Air, iPad models with M4 and later and at least 12GB of unified memory, Mac models with M3 and later and at least 12GB of unified memory, and Apple Vision Pro (M5) Additionally, Apple's most powerful on-device AI model is restricted to a similar list of newer products. It's unclear what impact that will have on Siri, though. Will Siri AI motivate you to upgrade to newer Apple hardware? Let us know in the comments.

Siri AI passed my Taylor Swift superfan test with flying colors

Available on iPhone 15 Pro and M1 Macs/iPads, this AI foundation makes Siri highly context-aware with access to emails, calendars, and messages. As you already know by now, iOS 27 comes with a new version of Siri that's built entirely on a new AI foundation. And this has finally unleashed the potential of Apple's virtual assistant, since it's no longer limited to answering trivial questions or performing basic tasks like setting timers or creating reminders. The new Siri is more context-aware than ever. It can read through your emails, calendar events, files, messages, and more to provide you with the best answers. And thanks to advanced AI models, you can talk to it using natural language. That's all impressive on paper, but it's another thing to start using it. I already have early access to Siri AI thanks to the iOS 27 developer beta, and I've tried out some pretty specific commands. And almost immediately, I was able to use the new Siri to do things I couldn't before. Putting Siri to the test Of course, the old version of Siri has long been able to play songs on Apple Music, but the commands are quite limited. You can ask for things like "play this song" or "play songs by this artist," but nothing too complicated. That's changing with the new Siri AI. Siri AI now has an extensive knowledge base to find song, artist, and album information that might not be in Apple Music's metadata. It's LLM can also use reasoning to understand more complex queries and add songs to my Apple Music queue. That means I shouldn't need to manually create my own playlist or filter the songs I want to listen to. I'm a huge Taylor Swift fan, and I love listening to the setlist from The Eras Tour, which is already a playlist on Apple Music. But I wanted to put Siri to the test to see how much it could do inside Apple Music. I started by asking Siri, "Play songs from the Lover album that were part of the The Eras Tour setlist." This is more complicated than it sounds and way too advanced for the old Siri. For one, Swift went through several incarnations of the Eras Tour, including removing one of the "Lover" songs from the setlist midway through the tour, and for another, she has several variations of the "Lover" album. But Siri was able to quickly identify all five "Lover" songs that were played during the tour's main setlist (not including acoustic tracks). Then I asked it to add those songs to a playlist on Apple Music, which it did. Apple Music already has a feature called Playlist Playground for creating playlists with AI, but being able to do this on the fly with specific voice commands changes everything. It's a stark difference from the old Siri, which often plays the wrong songs on my HomePod. I didn't stop there. To put Siri's knowledge of all things Taylor Swift to the test, I also asked some pretty specific questions, like "What did Taylor Swift do this week?" Siri AI gave me the right answer. It knew she attended the NBA Finals in New York the night before and that she had released a new song last week for the "Toy Story 5" soundtrack. Siri even knew what she was wearing: "a blue T-shirt with "Stevie Knicks" printed in orange lettering -- a playful mashup of Fleetwood Mac icon Stevie Nicks and the New York Knicks. She paired the shirt with black Area slit jeans and wore her hair pulled back in a braid adorned with a blue ribbon." Not enough to prove Siri's a real Swiftie? I asked Siri what surprise acoustic songs Taylor performed on the second night of The Eras Tour in São Paulo, the show I attended. Not only did it get the songs correct, but Siri was also able to find and play both songs on Apple Music. Of course, Siri AI is still in beta, and it will likely remain that way for a while, possibly even after the first general release arrives later this year. But the results are already quite impressive for a first beta, and it shows that Apple has finally succeeded in delivering the new AI-powered Siri it promised back in 2024. Siri AI will be available on all devices compatible with Apple Intelligence, which means the iPhone 15 Pro or later, or an iPad or Mac with the M1 chip or later. The iOS 27 update will be available to the public this fall.

Some AI features aren't available on older iPhones, but are you actually missing that much?

There are only two exclusive features, and they're not such a big deal If you were paying attention to the WWDC 2026 keynote earlier this week, you'll know that all of the amazing new Apple Intelligence features are not coming to every iPhone. Apple confirmed that some of those features will be exclusive to just three iPhone models: iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max and iPhone 17 Air. iPads and Macs also have similar restrictions. The full suite of Apple Intelligence features will only be available on select iPads and Macs with the correct Apple Silicon chip and at least 12GB of RAM. Macs need an M3 chip or newer, while iPads need an M4 or M5. This is not ideal news for the people who don't have those devices, and that's going to be especially frustrating for anyone with a standard iPhone 17. But the real question here is whether this is actually anything to be worried about? What these devices can actually do According to Apple, all the compatible devices have exclusive access to the "most powerful on-device model," also known as Apple Foundation Models (AFM) Core Advanced. While Apple made it sound like some key features would be locked away with this model, and only available on a small handful of new devices, that's actually not the case. According to Apple's Siri AI press release, there are only two features exclusive to the AFM Core Advanced model: Voice customization and advanced systemwide dictation. The former lets you customize the expressiveness and pace of Siri AI's voice, beyond the capabilities of the pre-set Siri voices that are available to everyone. Advanced system-wide dictation is exactly what it sounds like, and means compatible devices will be a lot better at converting speech into text. According to Apple, you can "speak naturally and trust that [your] words will appear clearly, accurately, and as intended." Honestly? These are the kinds of features you can probably live without. Customizing Siri's voice sounds cool, but it's not as though there aren't alternate options available on older Apple devices. There are currently 19, if my counting is correct, covering different nationalities, accents and genders. Similarly, improved speech-to-text sounds like a good idea, especially considering how awful Apple's current capabilities are. But is that something you're actually going to use very often? I only ever use speech-to-text if I'm carrying my baby son, since I find typing one-handed slow and awkward. Others may feel differently, but unless you are likely to use dictation features regularly, then missing out on this particular upgrade isn't a huge deal. It's important to note that improvements to dictation don't actually affect how Siri understands you. The new conversational models should still improve your overall Siri experience regardless of which AI-compatible iPhone you have. That's the iPhone 15 Pro and newer, for those who have forgotten. Things may change in the future We don't fully know what the differences are between AFM Core Advanced and the AFM Core model that's available on older iPhone models -- beyond the fact the Advanced model needs 12GB of RAM and Core only needs 8GB. Good thing RAM prices are so low right now, right? Right?? But as minimal as the feature differences appear to be right now, that will likely change in the future. More advanced AI features will require better models and more resources to function properly. In the same way that Apple Intelligence wasn't available on iPhone 15 or older, future features will presumably arrive exclusively on iPhone 17 Pro and above. We don't know when that might happen, though. It's possible that Apple could have some secret iOS 27 features hiding up its sleeve, ready to be unveiled at a future date -- possibly alongside the iPhone 18 Pro. Then again, such features may not arrive until the launch of iOS 28 next year. Hopefully, by that point, there will be a bunch more iPhones that have full access to all the Apple AI on offer. Here's hoping that the rumors of a downgraded iPhone 18 aren't true. If that phone arrives with less than 12GB of RAM, news of even more AI features that they can't use is bound to make a bunch of them rather unhappy. Some people already are, and have taken to social media to express their grievances. The decision to not support everything on a "less than 2-year-old AI device" has been called "insane" by one X user, while there are a bunch of Redditors lamenting the decision, including those people who only recently purchased a standard iPhone 17. One Reddit user declared that they want their "f****** money back," which seems a big extreme, while another declared the whole thing to be "a scam" because the iPhone 16 Pro was supposedly made for Apple Intelligence. But for every complaint, there seem to be several other people pointing out that the only thing these people are missing out on is Siri's voice adjustment and the improved dictation. Bottom line iOS 27 is now effectively a three-tier software update, thanks to the differing requirements of Apple Intelligence. iPhone 17 Pro and up get access to everything, while anyone with an iPhone 15 Pro or newer gets all the AI they want -- minus those two Siri features. Older models, from iPhone 15 back to iPhone 11, get zero access to AI at all. Though this isn't really any different from the way things were before. That means if you care about having every single facet of AI on your iPhone, you're going to have to be very particular next time you pick up an iPhone. Especially since this situation will likely repeat itself at some point in the foreseeable future. On-device AI needs a lot of memory to operate, and there's going to be a point where even the iPhone 17 Pro isn't capable of running everything. It's just a sad fact that those people who try and run their devices into the ground before upgrading may be left out in the cold a little earlier than they otherwise would. But if the exclusive AI features of the future are as inconsequential as these two exclusives, then it might not matter so much. Follow Tom's Guide on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our up-to-date news, analysis, and reviews in your feeds. Alternatively, you can read our content on the Tom's Guide app available now for iOS and Android. Subscribe to Tom's Guide on YouTube and follow us on TikTok. Finally, you can visit our dedicated Tom's Guide Savings Squad hub for expert help on getting the best products for less.

Apple Says New Siri is Compatible With These iPhones, iPads, and Macs

The more intelligent and personalized version of Siri that Apple introduced today -- "Siri AI" -- is limited to devices with Apple Intelligence support. "Siri AI" is available on the devices listed below. iPhone * iPhone 15 Pro * iPhone 15 Pro Max * iPhone 16e * iPhone 16 * iPhone 16 Plus * iPhone 16 Pro * iPhone 16 Pro Max * iPhone 17e * iPhone 17 * iPhone Air * iPhone 17 Pro * iPhone 17 Pro Max iPad * iPad mini (A17 Pro) * iPad Air (M1 chip and newer) * iPad Pro (M1 chip and newer) Mac "Siri AI" is compatible with any Mac with the M1 chip and newer. Apple Watch "Siri AI" is compatible with the following Apple Watch models when they are paired with an Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhone model that is nearby: * Apple Watch Series 10 * Apple Watch Series 11 * Apple Watch Ultra 2 * Apple Watch Ultra 3 * Apple Watch SE (3rd generation) Vision Pro * Vision Pro (M2 chip) * Vision Pro (M5 chip) Some of the "Siri AI" features are also available on CarPlay when an Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhone model is connected to the vehicle. "Siri AI" is available to test in English in the iOS 27, iPadOS 27, macOS 27, and visionOS 27 developer betas starting today, but there is a wait, and it will be coming to the Apple Watch in a future watchOS 27 beta. "Siri AI" will also be included in the public betas of each update, which will be available in July. The revamped Siri is launching later this year. Even then, it will still have a "beta" label. Note that "Siri AI" will not be available in the EU on iOS 27 and iPadOS 27 at launch, with Apple citing regulatory issues related to the Digital Markets Act.

Only iPhone 17 Pro users will get some of iOS 27's AI tools

iOS 27 may run on devices as far back as the iPhone 11, but Apple's most advanced AI features are reserved for a much shorter list of hardware, the company revealed. Apple's Craig Federighi, Senior Vice President of Software Engineering, confirmed that a subset of advanced Siri AI and Apple Intelligence features will require more powerful silicon, and therefore won't be available on most iPhones. That means that even relatively new iPhones that do support Siri AI and Apple Intelligence, like the iPhone 16 Pro Max, won't get the full experience when iOS 27 launches this fall. In a WWDC presentation (as reported by Macworld and other outlets), Federighi said, "Our most powerful on-device model and the features it enables, like expressive voices and more advanced dictation, will be coming to our most capable iPhone, iPad and Mac systems." A slide displayed alongside these remarks stated that only a handful of phones will get the full feature set: the iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, and iPhone Air. In addition, these advanced features will be restricted to iPad models with M4 or later (and at least 12GB of unified memory), Mac models with M3 or later (and at least 12GB of unified memory), and Apple Vision Pro with M5. The features we know for certain are exclusive to that hardware tier include Siri AI's more expressive voices and the upgraded systemwide dictation, which Apple says captures speech as polished, accurately punctuated text with greater precision than before. If you're on an iPhone 16 or iPhone 15 Pro, you'll still get a meaningfully upgraded Siri AI experience. That's the rebuilt assistant, the dedicated app, Visual Intelligence, writing tools, and more. But the voice customization sliders, dictation overhaul, and other unnamed features are staying on the newer hardware for now. If the expressive voice and dictation upgrades are important to you, the iPhone 17 lineup is where those features live. This isn't the only significant carveout Apple announced, either. Siri AI will launch in the fall as a public beta, but it won't be available in the European Union or China at launch.

AppleInsider.com

Because Apple tossed out a slide that has no context outside the keynote, the internet has convinced itself that Siri AI is only coming to hardware released since 2024. That's untrue. Apple announced Siri AI as part of the WWDC 2026 opening keynote on June 8. It'll ship this fall as part of the iOS 27, macOS 27, iPadOS 27, and visionOS 27 software updates. Siri AI is built on Apple Intelligence and will see the assistant gain new abilities, including a new chatbot-like interface. And it'll be available on all of the same devices that already support other Apple Intelligence features. That hasn't stopped people from taking to social media and forums across the internet to cry foul, though. They want to know why their AI-ready iPhone 17 won't get the new AI features this fall. There's clearly confusion, coupled with the internet's tendency to go off half-cocked. And we only have to look at Apple's Siri AI announcement to see where that confusion comes from. Confusion at Apple's core (advanced model) During its Siri AI unveiling as well as in its press release, Apple mentioned its "most advanced on-device model ever." It then went on to say that this model is only available on a very limited number of devices. In the case of the iPhone, those devices include the iPhone Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max. For iPad, you'll need any of the models with an M5 chip or newer with 12GB of RAM. Mac owners with an M3 or newer, but still with 12GB of RAM or more, are also good to go. Unfortunately, that's where far too many people stopped paying attention. If they hadn't, they'd know that the AFM Core Advanced model Apple was talking about is only actually used for two Siri AI features. One of those features that older hardware won't get allows users to customize the way Siri sounds, while the other brings improved system-wide dictation. That's it. Nothing more, and nothing less. These are the two features that you need a newer iPhone, iPad, or Mac to use. Everything else under the Siri AI and Apple Intelligence banners will come to existing Apple Intelligence-enabled devices. That hasn't stopped people from getting ready to ditch their M1 Pro MacBook Pros, though. Nor has it stopped them from readying the pitchforks because their iPhone 16 Pro Max won't get the upgraded Siri. All of this panic, the angst, the anger could have been avoided by simply "Googling Siri AI" and "supported devices." Maybe these people chose to ask ChatGPT instead, and it just hallucinated an answer for them.

Apple's New AI Features WIll Only Work on These iPhones

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. Apple's WWDC 26 event today was heavily focused on how Apple is using AI, or Apple Intelligence, to upgrade its existing devices. Unfortunately, many iPhones didn't make the cut to get the upcoming Siri AI, which will be mainly focused on your privacy and working with you. However, if you already have a recent iPhone, starting this fall, you'll be enjoying some very cool new AI features on your iPhone. Here is the list of iPhones that made the cut for the AI upgrades. Which iPhones Get Apple Intelligence? While all of the iPhones below will get the new Apple Intelligence update, some features will work better on the "most powerful models," which likely points to the iPhone 17 family. * iPhone 15 Pro * iPhone 15 Pro Max * iPhone 16 * iPhone 16 Plus * iPhone 16 Pro * iPhone 16 Pro Max * iPhone 17 * iPhone 17 Air * iPhone 17 Pro * iPhone 17 Pro Max An important thing to note is that while Apple will roll out iOS 27 support for the iPhone 11 and newer, Apple Intelligence remains limited to the newer hardware. What is new with Apple Intelligence? The new Siri AI brings upgrades to apps like Safari, Messages, Photos, Calendar, and Phone. There will be a standalone Siri app, more conversational interactions, better context awareness, an understanding of follow-up questions as well as what is on your iPhone's screen. It can also take actions across apps and can work with your personal content like your photos, files, calendar, and emails. This new Siri not just catches up to the competition like Gemini, but it does it in a very Apple way, keeping your privacy at the forefront and keeping things simple. You can read more about the features here.

Not Every iPhone Is Getting Siri AI: Is Yours on the List?

If you watched Apple's WWDC 2026 keynote, it was hard not to get caught up in the excitement. Siri AI looked genuinely capable for the first time, handling multi-step tasks and pulling context from across your apps in ways no third-party AI assistant can replicate. Apple spent the better part of its keynote showing it off. But if you're not on the right iPhone, none of that applies to you. Siri AI compatible iPhones start at the A17 Pro chip and 8GB of RAM, which puts the floor at the iPhone 15 Pro. Anything below the iPhone 15 Pro is out. That covers the standard iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus, plus every iPhone 14 and older. Those devices can still update to iOS 27, but the headline feature of the whole release simply won't be there. Not Every iPhone Made the Cut That's a significant chunk of people. The iPhone 13 and iPhone 14 are still two of the most widely used iPhone models in the world, and neither qualifies. Apple supports its devices with software updates for years, which is one of the things iPhone owners genuinely appreciate. But software support and AI feature support are now two different things. You can run iOS 27 on an iPhone 12. Siri AI compatible iPhones start several generations later. To be fair, the hardware reasoning is legitimate. Running on-device AI models takes real resources, and Apple has been upfront that the A17 Pro and 8GB of RAM are the floor for what Siri AI needs to function. That's not an arbitrary cutoff. But it does mean millions of users with no reason to upgrade are now on the outside of Apple's biggest software moment in years. And if you're in the EU, hardware isn't even the issue. Apple confirmed at WWDC that Siri AI won't be coming to iPhone or iPad in Europe when iOS 27 launches, with no timeline attached. The Digital Markets Act requires Apple to give third-party virtual assistants the same deep system access as Siri AI, which Apple says it can't do safely. Regulators rejected its proposed workarounds. EU users on Mac and Apple Watch will get it. iPhone and iPad are the exception.