I was digging through the latest developer notes for iOS 27 and macOS Golden Gate this morning, and there is one feature that is stealing the entire spotlight: the newly revamped Siri AI.
For years, I’ve honestly felt like Siri was lagging behind the competition, acting more like a simple voice command tool than a true smart assistant. But with the integration of Apple Intelligence, Siri is finally getting the massive brain upgrade we’ve been waiting for. It is easily the most crucial innovation coming with the fall updates.
However, as I was reading through the compatibility list, I hit a familiar reality check. If you were hoping to use the new Siri AI on your older iPhone or Mac, you might be out of luck. This massive leap in artificial intelligence requires serious hardware processing power, meaning Apple is drawing a hard line on which devices make the cut.
Here is everything you need to know about who gets the upgrade and who gets left behind.
The Hardware Reality of Apple Intelligence
I always find it fascinating how software updates eventually force hardware evolutions. Siri AI is currently in its beta phase and will roll out to all users this fall, but it fundamentally relies on modern chips to run complex AI models directly on your device.
If you are wondering whether your current setup will survive the AI transition, I’ve compiled the complete list of supported hardware below.
Supported iPhone and iPad Models
- iPhone 17 Pro & 17 Pro Max
- iPhone Air
- iPhone 17 & iPhone 17e
- iPhone 16 Pro & 16 Pro Max
- iPhone 16, 16 Plus & 16e
- iPhone 15 Pro & 15 Pro Max
- Standard iPad
- iPad Pro (Models with M1 chip and newer)
- iPad Air (Models with M1 chip and newer)
- iPad mini (A17 Pro chip)
Supported Mac Models
- All Macs with M1 chips and newer
- MacBook Neo (Equipped with the A18 Pro processor)
Supported Apple Watch Models
(Note: These must be paired with an AI-supported iPhone)
- Apple Watch Series 9 and newer
- Apple Watch Ultra 2 and newer
- Apple Watch SE 3
Not All Siri AI Experiences Are Created Equal
While researching the fine print, I was surprised to discover that even if your device is on the list above, you might not get the full Siri AI experience. Apple is introducing a tiered system for its AI features.
For instance, the ability to completely customize the speed and expressiveness of Siri’s new AI voice is restricted to absolute top-tier hardware. To unlock this specific capability, you will need an iPhone 17 Pro, 17 Pro Max, or the new iPhone Air. If you are on a larger screen, you’ll need an iPad or Mac sporting an M3 or M4 processor (and beyond) with a minimum of 12 GB of RAM, or the upcoming Apple Vision Pro (M5).
Furthermore, Apple’s most powerful on-device AI model is strictly reserved for the absolute latest hardware. Honestly, it’s still a bit unclear exactly how much better the responses will be on these premium devices compared to the baseline M1 Macs or iPhone 15 Pros, but if I know Apple, the difference in processing speed and contextual awareness will be noticeable.
It feels like we are entering a new era where RAM and Neural Engine cores matter just as much as camera megapixels used to.
Looking at this list, I’m curious about your setup. Are you planning to upgrade your device specifically to get your hands on the new Siri AI, or are you perfectly happy sticking with your current hardware for another year? Let’s discuss it in the comments below!
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