With iOS 27 arriving this fall, Apple is keeping device compatibility in line with iOS 26—iPhones from the 11 series onward (including the second-generation SE) are supported. But not all supported models will deliver the software’s full headline capabilities. A hardware threshold is dividing which phones get every new Siri AI and Apple Intelligence feature. MacRumors reports that only three iPhones will meet it.
Top-Tier Devices: The 12 GB Requirement
The most advanced Siri AI features—like the upgraded speech-to-text dictation, and options to tweak Siri’s tone, pace, and expressiveness—will only be available on devices with at least 12 GB of RAM. That means the iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, and the recently released iPhone Air are the only iPhones that will ship with all of iOS 27’s promised AI features on day one. Phones like the iPhone 17 and iPhone 17e with “just” 8 GB won’t qualify for those top-tier perks.
Second Tier & Basic Support
A step down, the rest of the iPhone 16 line (including 16e), plus iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max will support “standard” Apple Intelligence features and the redesigned Siri experience. These include the new standalone Siri app, integration of personal context, web-aware responses, and improved photo editing tools like Extend and Spatial Reframing.
Then there’s the basic tier—iPhone 15, 15 Plus, 14 series, 13 series, 12, 11, and the SE models. These get the iOS 27 release: software refinements, UI upgrades, a tighter CPU scheduler, Liquid Glass visual improvements, rebuilt system search, but none of the Apple Intelligence or advanced Siri AI additions.
Regional Challenges & Roadmap Through iPhone 18
Notably, Apple won’t enable Siri AI in the European Union at iOS 27’s launch due to the Digital Markets Act (DMA). No device will ship with the feature there initially, though macOS 27 Golden Gate is expected to include it. Apple is engaging with EU regulators to resolve the restrictions.
Looking ahead, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo projects the upcoming iPhone 18 and 18e will offer 9 GB of RAM—sufficient for standard Apple Intelligence features but insufficient for the 12 GB tier. The iPhone 18 Pro, 18 Pro Max, and the forthcoming foldable “iPhone Ultra” are expected to meet the 12 GB bar, marking them as likely candidates to inherit full iOS 27 capability.
The iOS 27 public beta is already live, with full release expected in September alongside the new flagship models.
What this means: if you want every Siri AI and Apple Intelligence upgrade in iOS 27, your best bet is one of the RAM-rich models: iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, or iPhone Air. Otherwise, you’ll get much of what’s new in iOS 27 but miss some of the most advanced AI functionality.
