Dorchester — Sep 8th 2026

David Moon gave a live demonstration of files. He suggested that for most of us we should only store notes on iCloud and turn off the options on other accounts such as Google. The useful highlights were using headings and subheadings to collapse text, being able to toggle the size of an image between large and small, and using tags. David also showed how you can create Call Recording notes which record both sound and create a transcript.

Trevor Craven, who had been running IOS 27 Beta, gave us a preview of what we could expect when the public version was released the following week. Mcc OS 27 Golden Gate, iOS 27 versions for iPhone and iPad, and OS 27 versions for Watch, TV and Vision Pro. Trevor focused his presentation on IOS 27.

OS 27 includes a major upgrade to Apple AI with smarter Siri and Search. But Apple AI is only available on more modern hardware, Mac with M1 or later, iPads with M11or later or iPhones and iPad Minis with A17Pro or later.

When Siri AI is optionally turned on, under Settings you will get the message optimising Search and Siri, while the system creates an index. Also under Settings, Siri, Suggestions, turning on Suggest Apps before Searching, search makes an intelligent guess at the apps you are likely to want without you having to ask. To activate search you now drag a finger down from just off the top centre of the screen. This has displaced getting notifications to drag down from just off top left.

Search looks through all documents excluding those that are locked: Trevor demonstrated by asking “When were my windows last cleaned?”, which started to list seemingly irrelevant emails but finally came up with the correct answer, which it found in his calendar. A second request, “ What is my NHS Number?”, whilst it could not be answered on his iPad it did give advice on how to find it. His phone was able to find his NHS number in information in a communication from Dorset County Hospital. Search had not, reassuringly, accessed 1Password but, more surprisingly, not his NHA app. Other questions provided search looked at photo data, etc.

The Search window includes Ask, which can be questioned like an AI app. With Siri, you can now use natural language, for example, to create a calendar event. Siri now has its own app and new icon, by default in the Dock.

Trevor concluded by highlighting a few changes to apps. Apple Wallet now has a three-dot menu providing additional information. The app can now allow you to add membership or entry cards that have QR codes. In Apple Pay, it is now easier to switch cards. Messages uses “contextual awareness” to detect when you might want to add a reminder or Calendar event in response to a message. On the Camera, Siri is now included between Photo and Portrait for intelligently describing what is in the viewer. You can now extract a single frame from a video. The cleanup feature in iOS improved through the use of generative AI fill. Enlarge and reframe functions have been added; the example Trevor showed was very impressive. Mail search is improved. The Password app can automatically change compromised passwords; caution is advised.

Trevor concluded with “Why bother to update”, suggesting delaying any update may compromise security. iOS claims to load apps faster, has improved dictation, improved AirDrop, and switching between WiFi and LTE (cellphone) data is improved when moving location.

Trevor had made a very comprehensive Keynote which I am sure he would be happy for me to forward. Preparing these notes with his Keynote to hand, I have learned lots, trying out hands-on.

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