Apple · WWDC 2026 · Apple shoppers

Which Apple Devices Support Apple Intelligence in 2026

Updated June 2026

Apple Intelligence and the new Siri need newer hardware than iOS 27 itself: iPhone 16 or later (plus iPhone 15 Pro), iPads with an M-series or A17 Pro chip, Macs with M1 or later, Apple Watch Series 10 or later, and Apple Vision Pro. The regular iPhone 15, iPhone SE and iPhone 11 update to iOS 27 but cannot run it.

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At WWDC 2026, Apple announced a Siri rebuilt on Apple Intelligence and powered in part by Google's Gemini models - the headline of what was widely reported as Tim Cook's final keynote as CEO. The new assistant understands personal context, reacts to what's on your screen, holds a back-and-forth conversation, and ships as a dedicated Siri app on iPhone, iPad and Mac. But there's a catch buyers keep getting wrong: the device list for the new Siri is shorter than the list of phones that can install iOS 27. A phone can update to the latest OS and still miss the marquee AI features entirely. This guide spells out exactly which iPhone, iPad, Mac and Watch qualify, which ones get iOS 27 but not the new Siri, and what that means before you spend. The fastest read: if your iPhone is a 16 or 17, or a 15 Pro, you're in. Everything older is the part worth checking.

DeviceInstalls iOS/the new OSGets Apple Intelligence?Buy at Amazon
Apple iPhone 17 / 17 ProYesYes - full new SiriBuy at Amazon
Apple iPhone 16 / AirYesYes - qualifiesBuy at Amazon
Apple iPhone 15 (non-Pro)Yes (iOS 27)No - needs 16+ or 15 ProBuy at Amazon
Apple iPhone 11 / SEYes (iOS 27)No - updates onlyBuy at Amazon
MacBook (M1 or later)Yes (macOS 27)Yes - M1+ qualifiesBuy at Amazon
Apple Watch Series 10+Yes (watchOS 27)Yes - if paired with a supported iPhoneBuy at Amazon

The two lists you have to keep separate

The single biggest source of confusion in 2026 is that Apple is running two different compatibility lists. The first is which iPhones can install iOS 27 at all - and that's generous. Apple says iOS 27 supports the same iPhones as iOS 26, which means iPhone 11 and later, plus the second-generation iPhone SE and later. So the 11, the SE, the 15, the 16 and the 17 lines all update to iOS 27 as a free download this fall. The second list is which devices can run the new Siri and Apple Intelligence, and it's noticeably tighter: iPhone 16 and later, plus iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max only. That gap is the whole story. Your phone can show iOS 27 in Settings and still never see the rebuilt Siri, the Image Playground generation, or the screen-aware actions. When you read 'supports iOS 27,' it does not automatically mean 'supports Apple Intelligence.'

iPhones that get the new Siri

On the iPhone side, Apple Intelligence and the rebuilt Siri run on iPhone 16 and later, plus the iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max. In current-lineup terms, that covers the iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro, the thin-and-light iPhone Air, and the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus - all qualify out of the box. The new Siri brings on-screen awareness, conversational back-and-forth, and tasks like adding photos to albums, setting reminders, suggesting recipes and giving feedback on documents, plus a Dynamic Island animation on compatible iPhones. If your next phone needs to last several years of AI feature updates, buying into this tier is the safe call. The iPhone 17 is the mainstream pick; the 17 Pro is the step-up; the Air is for people who care most about weight. Two honest caveats Apple flagged: the new Siri is English-only at first, and it's delayed in the EU on iPhone and iPad because of the Digital Markets Act.

Pros

  • Full new Siri: on-screen awareness, conversation, the dedicated Siri app
  • Future-proof for the AI features Apple keeps adding
  • Covers the whole current iPhone lineup, from the 16 up to the 17 Pro

Cons

  • New Siri is English-only initially
  • Delayed in the EU on iPhone and iPad due to the Digital Markets Act

iPhones that update but miss Apple Intelligence

This is where buyers get burned. The iPhone 15 (the non-Pro model), the iPhone SE, and the iPhone 11 all install iOS 27 - they'll get the refined Liquid Glass design with the new opacity slider, the camera control tweaks, the faster AirDrop and app launches, and the rebuilt system search. The iPhone 11 even benefits from the CPU scheduler changes Apple specifically cited as making older devices feel faster. What none of them get is the new Gemini-powered Siri or any Apple Intelligence feature, because that needs iPhone 16+ or a 15 Pro. So if Apple Intelligence is the reason you're upgrading, the standard iPhone 15 is not the phone to buy in 2026 - it's one model short. The 15 Pro qualifies; the regular 15 does not. It's a clean, frustrating line, and it's worth saying out loud before you spend on an older model expecting the headline feature.

Cons

  • No new Siri or Apple Intelligence on iPhone 15 non-Pro, SE, or 11
  • Easy to assume 'runs iOS 27' equals 'runs Apple Intelligence' - it doesn't

iPad and Mac requirements

Beyond the phone, Apple Intelligence reaches iPad and Mac with their own chip cutoffs. On iPad, you need an M-series chip or the A17 Pro - so an entry iPad on an older A-series chip won't run the new Siri or the iPad Apple Intelligence features even after it updates to iPadOS 27. On the Mac, the rule is simpler: any Apple silicon Mac with an M1 chip or later qualifies, which covers essentially every Mac Apple has sold since the Intel-to-Apple-silicon transition completed. That's good news for Mac owners - if you bought a MacBook in the last several years, you're almost certainly covered, and a current MacBook gives you the dedicated Siri app with text and image generation and file analysis on macOS 27, named Golden Gate. The takeaway: Macs are broadly in; iPads depend specifically on whether the chip is M-series or A17 Pro.

Apple Watch and the rest of the ecosystem

Apple Watch is the one device that doesn't carry Apple Intelligence on its own - it leans on your phone. The new Siri reaches Apple Watch Series 10 and later, but only when the Watch is paired with a supported iPhone (a 16+, or a 15 Pro). So an Apple Watch Ultra 3 or a Series 11 gives you the new Siri experience as long as the iPhone in your pocket qualifies; pair a newer Watch with an older phone and the AI features don't appear. Apple also extended the new Siri across visionOS on Apple Vision Pro, and made it available through CarPlay and on AirPods, so the assistant follows you between devices rather than living on one. The simplest mental model for a household: the iPhone is the gatekeeper. Get the phone tier right first, and the Watch, AirPods and CarPlay experiences fall into place around it.

The verdict

If Apple Intelligence is your reason to upgrade in 2026, buy an iPhone 16 or later, or a 15 Pro - the iPhone 17, 17 Pro, Air and 16 all qualify cleanly. Macs are easy: anything with M1 or later is in. iPads need an M-series or A17 Pro chip, and Apple Watch (Series 10+) carries the new Siri only when paired with a qualifying iPhone. The trap to avoid is the standard iPhone 15, SE or 11 - they all run iOS 27 but none get the new Siri.

Who should skip this

Skip the upgrade if you already own an iPhone 16, 15 Pro or newer - you'll get Apple Intelligence as a free fall update, so there's nothing to buy. Skip chasing the new Siri on an iPhone 15 non-Pro, SE or 11; they install iOS 27 and feel faster, but the AI features will never arrive on them. And if you're in the EU or rely on a non-English language, weigh Apple's stated delay and English-only start before you upgrade specifically for Siri.

How we chose

We built this guide strictly from Apple's WWDC 2026 announcements, separating the two compatibility lists Apple published: which devices can install iOS 27 (and the matching iPadOS, macOS, watchOS releases) versus which can run the new Apple Intelligence-powered Siri. We then mapped each requirement onto current catalog devices and flagged the cases where a device updates to the new OS but does not qualify for the AI features, since that gap is the most common buying mistake. We list no prices because they shift; we describe tiers and qualification only.

Frequently asked

Does the iPhone 15 support Apple Intelligence?

Only the iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max do. The standard iPhone 15 (non-Pro) installs iOS 27 but does not run the new Siri or Apple Intelligence, which require iPhone 16 or later or a 15 Pro.

Will my older iPhone get iOS 27?

Apple says iOS 27 supports the same iPhones as iOS 26 - iPhone 11 and later, plus the second-gen iPhone SE and later. So the 11, SE, 15, 16 and 17 lines all update. The catch is that the new Siri needs iPhone 16+ or a 15 Pro, so older supported phones get iOS 27 but not Apple Intelligence.

Which Macs can run Apple Intelligence?

Any Apple silicon Mac with an M1 chip or later qualifies. That covers nearly every Mac sold since the move to Apple silicon, so a recent MacBook gets the dedicated Siri app on macOS 27 (Golden Gate), including text and image generation and file analysis.

Does Apple Watch support the new Siri on its own?

No. Apple says the new Siri reaches Apple Watch Series 10 and later, but only when the Watch is paired with a supported iPhone (an iPhone 16 or later, or a 15 Pro). A newer Watch on an older phone won't get the AI features.

What does the new Siri actually do?

Apple says the rebuilt Siri, powered in part by Google's Gemini models, understands personal context and on-screen content, holds back-and-forth conversations, and can add photos to albums, set reminders, suggest recipes and give feedback on documents. A dedicated Siri app brings text and image generation and file analysis to iPhone, iPad and Mac.

Are there any limitations at launch?

Yes. Apple says the new Siri is English-only initially, and it's delayed in the EU on iPhone and iPad because of the Digital Markets Act. Developer betas arrived June 8, a public beta is coming in July, and the full release ships free this fall.

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