Apple's Siri AI Changes iPhone and iPad Gestures

Apple is altering the gesture scheme on iPhone and iPad with the introduction of Siri AI in iOS 27 and iPadOS 27. A central gesture, swiping down from the middle of the screen (around the Dynamic Island on iPhone), now invokes the chatbot-like voice assistant instead of revealing the notification center, a practice users have followed for years. This change, which occurs only when Siri AI is activated, has led users of the current public beta to question its necessity, as they initially often accidentally trigger Siri AI. To access the notification center, users must now swipe down from the far left side, while the right side remains reserved for the Control Center. Apple appears to want users to reach Siri AI more quickly and use it more; the new Siri AI bubble displays 'Search or Ask.' To help users understand the gestures, notifications still arrive from the top left when Siri AI is active. Apple seems aware that many first-time users find this confusing, as the swipe area was slightly enlarged in Beta 2 of iOS 27. Siri AI is also accessible via the usual Spotlight gesture (swiping down from the middle of the screen), 'Hey Siri' or 'Siri' voice commands, a long press on the side button, or a new standalone Siri app in iOS 27, iPadOS 27, macOS 27, and watchOS 27. Siri AI is expected to launch in September, initially only in US English, even though the underlying models can handle other languages. The timeline for an EU introduction is unclear, depending on Apple's negotiations with the European Commission.