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The first beta of iOS 27.3 is extensive. It brings back the new Health app, revamps standby mode for all iPhones, delivers the promised one-handed mode for the iPhone Duo, and opens up Siri AI to all developers. Additionally, it includes vertical tabs in Safari and a new strength workout for Fitness+.
Apple distributed the first betas of iOS 27.3 and its other operating systems to developers on November 3rd. In a statement announcing the launch in China, Apple mentions December for the final version; a specific date is still missing, as also shown in the overview of the iOS 27.3 release date.
The beta is installed via the beta updates in the software update settings, the same way as with the iOS 27 developer beta. All articles about the update are compiled on the iOS 27.3 page.
Key Facts at a Glance
- The newly built Health app is back and is scheduled to be released with iOS 27.3, but German is missing.
- Standby will receive the new features of the iPhone Duo on all compatible iPhones.
- The iPhone Duo will get a one-handed mode that pushes content to the side.
- Siri AI can do more in many Apple apps and is now available as a preview for all developers, but remains blocked on iPhone and iPad in the EU.
- Safari is getting vertical tabs and an adaptive dark mode.
New health app is back
The redesigned Health app, which Apple had removed with the fourth beta of iOS 27.2, is back in the system. The Insights section summarizes current values and supplements them with information from Apple Intelligence, while the Longevity section evaluates data over a longer period and calculates Health Age. This includes at-home activity tests using the iPhone camera and Apple Watch, which, according to Apple, run entirely on the device.
Heart rate variability is also included in the vital signs section. The Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 also offer a daily fitness score that recommends increased activity or recovery. This requires a device with Apple Intelligence.
The language list in Apple's announcement is new: Instead of just US English, Apple now lists eleven languages, including French, Spanish, Turkish, and Norwegian. German is not among them.
Standby like on the iPhone Duo
Standby mode on all compatible iPhones will receive the updates previously exclusive to the iPhone Duo. Analog and digital clocks can be more extensively customized in terms of colors and complications, the Photos view displays shared albums, and Calendar and Weather views are added.
Multiple versions of each view type can be created, and you can swipe between them. Standby mode without a charger remains exclusive to the iPhone Duo; all other models must remain plugged in.
One-handed mode for iPhone Duo
The one-handed mode, announced in October, is here. Instead of pulling the display down like on other iPhones, it shifts the content of the outer display to the left or right so that it is reachable with the thumb.
This is triggered with a quick swipe on the left or right edge of the closed iPhone Duo. The feature is enabled after the update and can be found under Settings > Accessibility > Touch > One-Handed Mode.
Siri AI: More actions, open to all developers
Siri AI can do significantly more in Apple's own apps with the 27.3 betas. Apple lists Calendar, Files, Finder, Journal, Mail, Maps, Messages, Music, Notes, Photos, Preview, Reminders, Safari, Shortcuts, and Weather, among others. The assistant will answer questions about what's possible in each app when asked.
- Mail: Unsubscribe from mailing lists, recall sent messages
- Messages: Send messages later, edit and recall them, react with emojis
- Music: Create playlists and save them in the media library
- Notes: Create formatted notes, sort folders
- Photos: favorite, rotate, edit, rename people and pets
- Files: Create, rename, sort by type, and move files and folders to the trash
- Safari: Sort and close tabs, create tab groups, delete website history
- Weather: Add locations, control weather notifications
Even more is changing for developers. App Intents allow any app to connect its content and actions to Siri AI, for example, to check a delivery or reserve a table. So-called Skills bundle multiple actions into a single process. This is initially a preview; it's expected to reach users in a few months, with Apple opening the App Store submission process in the spring.
Traditional Chinese, Norwegian, Turkish, and Vietnamese are expected to be added soon. German is not among them, and Siri AI remains unavailable on iPhones and iPads in the EU due to the Digital Markets Act. According to Apple, developers also cannot test the features on iPhones and iPads there. This restriction does not apply in Switzerland.
Safari: Vertical tabs and adaptive dark mode
The release notes for Safari 27.3 mention vertical tabs as a new, space-saving layout. The tab bar is located on the left, initially displays only icons, and can be widened to also show page titles. Tab groups and pinned tabs continue to function.
Adaptive Dark Mode darkens bright websites that don't have their own dark theme. On my iPhone 18 Pro Max running the beta, it's located under Settings > Apps > Safari in the „Website Settings“ section and can be enabled there. The details for both features also apply to iPadOS and macOS 27.3.
Apple Watch and Fitness+
With watchOS 27.3, Live Rewind and Siri Summary can be tested. These features display the last 15 seconds of a conversation as text or summarize conversations. They require an Apple Watch Series 12 or Ultra 4 and an iPhone 16 or later (excluding the iPhone 16e). At launch, they will only run in English and will not initially be available in the EU.
Fitness+ is launching Gym Strength, a strength training program for both the gym and home. It creates a four-week plan based on goals, experience level, schedule, and available equipment, and adjusts the following week's plan according to the recorded repetitions and weights. Users can choose from over 350 exercises using more than 30 different types of equipment; the minimum requirement is dumbbells.
A session consists of five exercises lasting approximately 20 to 30 minutes, or seven lasting approximately 45 to 60 minutes. The Apple Watch can display exercises and track repetitions and weight. Gym Strength is included in the existing subscription; only the optional Workout Note, based on Apple Intelligence, requires a device set to English.
What else is included in the beta?
On the iPad, Siri mode is integrated into the Camera app on iPad Pro and iPad Air with M1 or newer chipsets, as well as on the iPad mini with A17 Pro or A20 Pro chipsets. Users can circle an object in a photo with the Apple Pencil to receive information about it via visual intelligence. Siri AI remains blocked on the iPad in the EU.
Apple Intelligence is available for testing in China for the first time via the beta version. This includes writing tools, visual intelligence, live translation, Genmoji, and photo cleaning; some of these features are powered by Alibaba's Qwen model. Siri AI is not available there.
The developer guidelines include another new feature: Subscriptions can now have multiple slots, allowing customers to invite others to a subscription. Developers will need to configure this option.
What resonates in German-speaking countries
The list is long, but in this country it depends heavily on language and region.
| New | Requirement | Restriction |
|---|---|---|
| Standby | all compatible iPhones | Without charger, only iPhone Duo |
| One-handed mode | iPhone Duo | – |
| Vertical tabs, adaptive dark mode | Safari 27.3 | – |
| Gym Strength | iOS 27.3 or iPadOS 27.3, Fitness+ subscription | Training Note only in English |
| Health app | Device with Apple Intelligence | no German |
| Siri AI | Device with Apple Intelligence | No German language support; not available in the EU on iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch. |
| Live Rewind, Siri Summary | Apple Watch Series 12 or Ultra 4, iPhone 16 or newer (excluding 16e) | English only, initially not in the EU |
The most noticeable changes will likely be in standby mode, Safari, and, on the iPhone Duo, one-handed mode. These are the features that are not related to Siri AI or a missing language.
iOS 27.3: Here's what's next
Apple says the final version will be released in December, and further betas are likely to follow until then. According to Apple, the new Health app should be released this year, while the opening of Siri AI to third-party apps will take several months.
