During the WWDC 2026 keynote, Apple surprised the iPhone world… just not in the way you might think.
In a show full of detailed demonstrations of new features coming to iOS 27, including the new AI-fueled Siri upgrade, one of the biggest surprises involved which iPhones will actually support the new OS update. Rumors ahead of the show indicated that the iPhone 11 lineup would be excluded from software updates this year, effectively forcing obsolescence on anyone who owns an iPhone from that generation.
Well, the rumor mill had this one dead wrong. And now that the iOS 27 public beta is available to download, users with compatible iPhones can try out the new operating system right away. We should note that if you want to try Siri AI, you’ll need to follow some additional steps. After downloading the iOS 27, macOS 27 Golden Gate, watchOS 27, iPadOS 27, or visionOS 27 beta, go to Settings, Apple Intelligence & Siri, and join the waitlist.
Every iPhone that will support iOS 27
Before we get to the full list, yes, your iPhone 11 model will be able to install iOS 27. Apple made it a point to emphasize this fact during the WWDC keynote. Whether those rumors were flat-out wrong or Apple managed to figure something out at the last-minute, we’ll probably never know.
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Anyway, here’s the full list of phones that will be able to install the iOS 27 public beta (and the official version when it’s available this fall):
However, there is one big asterisk on all of this. If you want to use the new Siri AI and the other new Apple Intelligence features being introduced in iOS 27, everything older than an iPhone 15 Pro/Pro Max will be excluded. Even in the iPhone 15 family, the base and Plus models will seemingly not support Siri AI, according to Apple’s press release.
What iPhones will support Siri AI and Apple Intelligence?
Credit: Apple
With the new version of iOS, Apple will have a two-tiered system where some people will have iOS 27 with AI, and others will have iOS 27 with a whole lot less AI. This is because many Apple Intelligence and Siri AI processes will happen on your device, and phones with older chips won’t be able to support these features.
So, if you want to use the new Siri AI and the full suite of Apple Intelligence upgrades coming to iPhones in the fall, you’ll need one of the following devices:
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iPhone 15 Pro
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iPhone 15 Pro Max
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iPhone 16e
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iPhone 16
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iPhone 16 Pro
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iPhone 16 Pro Max
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iPhone 17e
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iPhone 17
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iPhone 17 Pro
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iPhone 17 Pro Max
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iPhone Air
Again, if you want to get access to the Siri AI beta, follow these steps:
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Make sure Apple Intelligence is supported and activated on your device
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Sign up for the Apple beta program
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Back up your device
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Download the iOS 27 public beta
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Go to Settings and tap Apple Intelligence & Siri to join the waitlist
