macOS ‘Golden Gate' unveiled with standalone Siri app, performance improvements and more

After months of rumors about Apple’s latest software updates, the company unveiled macOS 27 at the 2026 Worldwide Developers Conference. macOS 27 isn’t a major departure from the previous version; instead, it focuses on refining the user experience and fixing some of the annoying bugs users have reported over the past year.

The new macOS 27 is named Golden Gate. When it comes to the list of new features, you should not expect a long one, as Apple has followed the Snow Leopard playbook from 2009 with macOS 27. First, the Liquid Glass interface isn’t gone; it's been updated to improve readability.

It gets a new slider in settings to adjust Liquid Glass, letting you go from ultra-clear to fully tinted with ease. App icons also get an additional layer of Liquid Glass to look sharper. Smoother system animations, faster content loading, and a similar corner radius for windows are other improvements for macOS 27.

With iOS 27, Apple released a standalone Siri app for iPhone users, and the app is also coming to Macs with the latest update. The all-new Siri AI app features a chatbot-style interface and aims to compete with Google’s Gemini and OpenAI’s ChatGPT. It supports both text and voice prompts and provides users with access to previous conversations for reference.

The Siri app can also perform a wide range of tasks, including on-device search, image generation, information summarization, and more. Users can also rely on Siri for personal context. Siri is integrated with various apps, allowing users to complete tasks with a single prompt. With the screen awareness capability, you can ask Siri about locations and images on your screen.

Moreover, the Writing Tools in macOS 27 are now powered by Siri AI, allowing users to draft emails and other content, as well as request feedback on specific pieces of text.

Safari has also been enhanced with Apple Intelligence. Users can now automatically group tabs into topics, while the Notify Me feature keeps them informed about updates to web pages. Shortcuts in macOS also gain support for natural language processing, allowing users to describe what they want and let AI handle the rest.

Which devices won’t get macOS 27?

If you’re still using an Intel-powered Mac, we have bad news for you. macOS 27 is only compatible with Apple Silicon chips and drops support for Intel-based Macs. Here’s a list of devices that won’t be compatible with macOS 27:

• Mac Pro (2019)
• 16-inch MacBook Pro (2019)
• 27-inch iMac (2020)
• 13-inch MacBook Pro (2020)

When can you get macOS 27?

Apple developers can now access the first beta of macOS 27. However, the first public beta is expected to be released sometime next month. Users will have to wait until this fall for the stable version of macOS 27.