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Apple today distributed the first beta of iOS 27.3 to developers, shortly after the release of iOS 27.2. This marks the start of the testing phase for the next point update, which will feature several promises made this year – and will also bring Apple Intelligence to China for the first time.
Simultaneously with iOS 27.3, Apple released the first betas of iPadOS 27.3, macOS 27.3, watchOS 27.3, tvOS 27.3, and visionOS 27.3. The builds are listed in Apple's developer release notes and can be downloaded via the respective device's software update, provided developer betas are enabled.
The final version of iOS 27.2 had been released shortly before and primarily brought new features for Apple Music and the HomePod. All articles about the system are compiled in the overview of iOS 27.
Key Facts at a Glance
- Apple is distributing the first developer beta of iOS 27.3, along with betas for iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, tvOS and visionOS.
- The beta version allows Apple Intelligence to be tested in China for the first time, without Siri AI. Apple has announced the final version for December.
- Several features from the 27.2 series remain inactive in the code, including a redesigned reading view in Apple Books.
- The redesigned Health app and a one-handed mode for the iPhone Duo have been announced for this year, but have not yet been released.
- Two features from the iOS 27 announcement have still not been released.
Apple Intelligence launches beta in China
This test version marks the start of Apple Intelligence testing in China. Apple announced in its Chinese newsroom that the features would be available for testing with the latest developer beta of iOS and would be released to users in China in December with iOS 27.3. These features include writing tools, live translation, visual intelligence, Genmoji, and summaries for messages and emails.
Apple is collaborating with Alibaba on some of the features: Alibaba's Qwen model powers Siri, the writing tools, and the visual intelligence. Siri AI and the other new features from WWDC 2026 are missing, as the launch of Apple Intelligence in China without Siri AI clearly demonstrates. The requirements are an iPhone 15 Pro or later, and English or Simplified Chinese as the device and Siri language.
What's left over from the 27.2 series
For weeks, the test versions of iOS 27.2 contained clues to features that were not activated. These include a redesigned reading view in Apple Books, proximity-based control for Home accessories, as well as AI shortcuts with third-party actions and an album countdown in Apple Music.
Such findings are not finished features. They lie dormant in the system and show what Apple is working on – not what will be released with a particular version.
Three commitments with the period "this year"
Apple unveiled the redesigned Health app on September 9th, introducing the Insights and Longevity sections. The company stated that the update would be rolled out later this year and that US English would be the initial language. The app was available to try out for much of the iOS 27.2 beta testing period, but Apple removed it from the system with the fourth beta.
The iPhone Duo will also feature a dedicated one-handed mode. Instead of pulling down the top half of the screen as on other iPhones, it will bring the left or right edge within reach, activated by a single tap. It's designed for smaller hands: When folded, the Duo is shorter and wider than other iPhones, and the control bar with the dock and status bar is located on the right edge.
The feature was not included at launch on October 23. A review in WIRED states that it will be added later this year via a software update; Apple has not provided a version number.
In addition, two features were missing at the launch of iOS 27: automatic password changes in the Passwords app and conversation suggestions in Messages. Apple postponed both to a future software update without specifying a date. Regarding the latter, a filter for message suggestions did appear in the code during the 27.2 test series.
The betas for iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, Apple TV and Vision Pro
The version numbers are the same across all systems: iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, tvOS and visionOS are all currently being tested as version 27.3.
The Apple Watch has its own set of rules. A watchOS beta requires a paired iPhone with the corresponding iOS beta, and an installed watchOS beta cannot be downgraded to an older version. The watch therefore remains in the beta branch until the next final version is released.
This test series has more to cover than the last one
I consider iOS 27.3 to be the more interesting series in terms of content. iOS 27.2 was largely an update for Apple Music and the HomePod; any software that needed to be added later was left untouched. The Health app and One-Handed Mode, on the other hand, are both dated this year, and these two latecomers from iOS 27 haven't received a release date at all since September.
In the two previous years, Apple closed the calendar year with a December update: iOS 18.2 was released on December 11, 2024, and iOS 26.2 on December 12, 2025, with the next update following in January. With the announcement for China, Apple has now confirmed the December release for iOS 27.3. Therefore, I expect that iOS 27.3 will be the last opportunity this year to receive everything Apple has promised.
The beta is installed via the developer options in Software Update. Like any test version, it should be installed on a secondary device, not on your everyday iPhone.
iOS 27.3: Here's what's next
The first beta in a series usually shows what Apple is aiming for in the version; subsequent test versions primarily deliver bug fixes. The new features of the first build will be covered in a separate article.
