Apple Opens iPadOS 27.3 Public Beta With a Redesigned Health App
Apple's first iPadOS 27.3 public beta is out with a new Health app, Safari vertical tabs and Siri changes. Here is what is included and who can install it.
Apple has started rolling out the first public betas of iPadOS 27.3, tvOS 27.3, HomePod 27.3 and other software, according to 9to5Mac. Anyone enrolled in Apple’s free public beta program can install them today, a day after the same builds went to developers.
The biggest visible change is a rebuilt Apple Health app. The update also brings vertical tabs and an adaptive Dark Mode to Safari, plus new Siri features, though reports differ on how much of Siri AI testers can actually use right now.
Same builds developers got earlier this week
Apple shipped the first developer betas of iOS 27.3, iPadOS 27.3, macOS 27.3, watchOS 27.3, tvOS 27.3 and visionOS 27.3 on Nov. 4, GSMArena reported. 9to5Mac says the public releases are identical to those developer builds, so the feature list is already known.
According to 9to5Mac, iPadOS 27.3 public beta 1 includes:
- Siri AI support for new languages and more actions inside apps
- Vertical tabs and Adaptive Dark Mode in Safari, along with other browser changes
- An all-new Apple Health app
- A Gym Strength program in the Fitness app
- A Siri mode in the Camera app for visual intelligence, Apple’s feature for identifying what the camera sees
Siri AI: reports differ on what is live
9to5Mac lists Siri AI language and app-action support among the iPadOS changes. GSMArena, writing about the iOS 27.3 developer beta, said Siri AI was “notably missing” for testers, even though other Apple Intelligence features are part of the update.
Separately, Apple announced a Siri AI Developer Preview, now open to all developers. It lets app makers connect their apps to Siri AI.
Apple Intelligence reaches China
GSMArena reported that the iOS 27.3 beta brings Apple Intelligence features to China, which Apple confirmed last week.
Apple Watch gets Siri Recap and Live Rewind
watchOS 27.3 adds Siri Recap and Live Rewind, two features Apple had earlier announced for the Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4, 9to5Mac said. GSMArena describes them as part of a set of Audio Intelligence features.
Changes for iPhone owners
On the iPhone side, GSMArena says iOS 27.3 adds the Reachability accessibility feature to the iPhone Duo. Reachability pulls the top of the screen down so it is easier to reach with one hand. StandBy mode, which turns a charging iPhone on its side into a bedside or desk display, now works on all supported iPhone models in a way similar to the iPhone Duo. The iOS beta also gets the same Safari vertical tabs, adaptive Dark Mode and redesigned Health app.
What it means if you want to try it
Joining the public beta program is free at beta.apple.com. Once enrolled, the update appears in the usual software update screen on each device. 9to5Mac warns that Apple’s betas usually have more bugs and performance problems than final releases, and that early builds such as this first one tend to be the roughest.
Apple has not said when iPadOS 27.3, iOS 27.3 and the other updates will be released to everyone.
