Apple ships iOS 27 and macOS 27 Golden Gate with LLM-based Siri AI on new AFM 3 models; macOS drops Intel support

Apple's 2026 OS releases (iOS 27, macOS 27 Golden Gate, watchOS 27, visionOS 27, tvOS 27) deliver the first major Apple Intelligence overhaul in roughly two years, powered by new AFM 3 on-device and cloud models — while macOS 27 drops all Intel Mac support…

Per Ars Technica (2026-09-14), Apple shipped its annual OS updates: iOS 27, macOS 27 Golden Gate, watchOS 27, visionOS 27, and tvOS 27. The flagship feature is Siri AI, an LLM-based overhaul offering context-aware on-screen responses, personal history search, app interaction, and a dedicated Siri app. It runs on a new model stack: AFM 3 Core (a 3B-parameter on-device model that a follow-up Ars review, circulated via Hacker News on 2026-09-16, says was built in collaboration with Google) and AFM 3 Core Advanced (a 20B sparse model that activates 1–4B parameters and, per the review, requires an M3 chip and at least 12GB of RAM), plus AFM 3 Cloud, ADM 3 Cloud (Image), and AFM 3 Cloud Pro server models for heavier Apple Intelligence workloads. The review calls this the first significant Apple Intelligence upgrade about two years after launch and notes the toggle to disable the AI features or delete downloaded models is gone. macOS 27 drops all Intel Mac support — the first macOS release since the mid-2000s to require Apple Silicon — with Sequoia security updates expected to end in fall 2027 and Tahoe's in 2028, leaving users on unsupported older macOS exposed to unpatched vulnerabilities. Other features include prompt-generated Shortcuts automations and Safari extensions, new photo editing options, and a Liquid Glass transparency slider. No factual conflicts between the two reports; the review adds the Google collaboration claim and hardware requirements.

• Released OS versions: iOS 27, macOS 27 Golden Gate, watchOS 27, visionOS 27, tvOS 27 (reported 2026-09-14)
• Siri AI: LLM-based overhaul with on-screen context awareness, personal history search, app interaction, and a dedicated Siri app
• AFM 3 Core: 3B-parameter on-device model; the Ars review states it was built in collaboration with Google
• AFM 3 Core Advanced: 20B sparse model activating 1–4B parameters; requires an M3 chip and at least 12GB of RAM
• Cloud/server models: AFM 3 Cloud, ADM 3 Cloud (Image), and AFM 3 Cloud Pro
• In macOS 27, Apple Intelligence can no longer be disabled and downloaded models cannot be deleted
• macOS 27 drops all Intel Mac support — first macOS release since the mid-2000s to require Apple Silicon
• Security update end dates: Sequoia expected in fall 2027; Tahoe expected in 2028