Apple released iOS 27.2 yesterday, and this time the update is more than bug fixes. The headline feature is memory: Siri can now remember context from earlier conversations, so you no longer have to explain what you asked for every time. If Siri recommended a restaurant to you before, for example, you can come back to it with a follow-up question without repeating the details.
More personal data
According to reports, Siri can now draw on photos attached in Messages, calendar event attendees, voicemails, and Safari browsing history and Reading List. The Messages app also suggests automatic actions, such as creating a calendar event from a conversation.
Privacy controls
Alongside the expansion, Apple added a setting called Excluded Apps, which lets you choose which apps Siri, Search and Suggestions cannot use. It is a setting worth checking right after updating: the more a personal assistant knows, the more important it is to decide for yourself what it sees.
Who gets it
The memory features require an iPhone 16 or later, or an iPhone 15 Pro or 15 Pro Max. Older devices get the rest of the update without the AI capabilities. Siri's AI features are now also available in French, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese and Spanish, but according to reports they are still not available in Europe or mainland China, and in some markets they are still labelled beta. Hebrew is not on the list.
What else is in the update
The update adds Apple Pencil support for the iPhone Duo. A Health app overhaul that appeared in early betas was pulled before release.
The bottom line
Memory is the capability that has so far separated Siri from assistants like ChatGPT and Gemini. If it works well, Siri may finally turn from a tool for one-off commands into a real personal assistant. So far no independent party has tested how accurate the memory is, and it is wise to start with cautious privacy settings.
