At the Apple Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC 2026), Apple officially released the new generation tablet operating system iPadOS 27, which is expected to be pushed to users later this year. This update makes improvements in performance optimization and multi-task response, and also fully introduces a new generation of Siri AI based on Apple Intelligence, becoming the core highlight of the system upgrade.
In terms of performance, Apple said that iPadOS 27 can increase application startup speed by up to about 30% through intelligent preloading of information required by the application, and it will also be smoother and more responsive when switching between multiple applications. These underlying optimizations are designed to improve the overall user experience in scenarios with large applications and many background tasks.
Like iOS 27 and macOS Golden Gate 27, which were updated simultaneously this year, the biggest change in iPadOS 27 comes from a comprehensive upgrade of Siri. The new version of Siri AI will be deeply integrated into the system's search function Spotlight. When users enter content in the search box, the system can automatically determine whether they are calling the voice assistant or only performing a local search, and respond accordingly. In addition, Apple will also provide a standalone Siri application that allows users to have conversations with Siri, view and review historical chat records, just like using chatbot applications such as ChatGPT.
In terms of device support, Apple Intelligence and Siri AI will be available for iPad models equipped with M1 and subsequent chips, as well as iPad mini equipped with A17 Pro chip. This means that some older devices will be limited by hardware thresholds in terms of smart functions, while newer models can fully experience the capabilities of smart assistants based on local and cloud collaboration.
iPadOS 27 also has major revamps of parental control features such as Screen Time. The new system allows parents and guardians to more granularly set the time and duration of children's use of specific apps and services, and can arrange specific schedules as needed. Apple also launched a new parental control API and a "Declared Age Range" API. Third-party applications can provide differentiated or restricted versions of the experience based on the actual user's age range.
When it comes to managing children’s accounts, the updated system will allow guardians to more tightly limit the apps their children can use and control who they can contact in iMessage. Through system-level controls coupled with new interfaces for developers, Apple is trying to find a new balance between usability and safety when children and teenagers use iPad.
Currently, Apple has not announced the specific official release time of iPadOS 27. It only states that the system will push updates to eligible devices within the year. More details about Siri AI and Apple Intelligence will be gradually disclosed in subsequent developer documents and test versions.