WatchOS 27 Beta 2 Arrives With Siri Overhaul, Missing Ultra 3

Two weeks after the first developer seed, Apple has released watchOS 27 beta 2. The update arrives through the Watch app on iPhone using a free developer account, provided the watch is charging, on Wi-Fi, and above 50 percent battery.

The headline feature remains the Siri overhaul. The updated assistant can hold back-and-forth conversations and pull from both general world knowledge and personal data to answer questions. That capability requires an iPhone 15 Pro or later, since the new Siri AI experience depends on Apple Intelligence hardware. Apple has also had to manage a waitlist for the new Siri AI features as it rolls out access, so not every eligible device gets it immediately.

What the update actually changes day to day

Beyond Siri, beta 2 carries a range of practical changes worth tracking across daily use:

• A new Dynamic app grid surfaces Siri-suggested apps
• Smart Stack Suggestions are described as more intuitive
• Workout Buddy gains progressive metrics for distance, pace, and duration, and now works without a nearby iPhone
• A consolidated Find My app adds Precision Finding support
• Liquid Glass has been updated to improve legibility

The beta is available for all Apple Watch models compatible with watchOS 27, with one notable gap: the Apple Watch Ultra 3 is excluded from this release.

Performance optimizations targeting battery life are included, though Apple’s approach to battery in watchOS 27 has a quieter side. The most underreported detail is not what was added but what was quietly removed, with gestures and other features reportedly disabled by default to extend runtime.

The second beta lands at the expected pace for a major watchOS cycle. Whether the Siri hardware requirement ends up being the practical limiter for most users is the question that will sharpen as more people work through beta enrollment.