Apple to Let Users Choose Third‑Party AI Assistants in iOS 27 and Plans AI‑Camera AirPods for 2027

Apple’s upcoming iOS 27 will add a new extension framework that lets users select a default AI assistant from options such as Anthropic’s Claude, Google’s Gemini or OpenAI’s ChatGPT, alongside Siri. When a third‑party model handles a query, Siri’s voice will change to identify the responder, and the system will route processing to the chosen provider’s servers. The change is intended to comply with the EU’s Digital Markets Act by opening the platform to competing AI services.

Apple also plans to release AirPods equipped with tiny cameras that act as visual sensors for Siri, allowing users to ask contextual questions about objects around them. The camera‑enabled AirPods, codenamed B798, are slated for launch by the end of 2027 together with a foldable iPhone and a special‑edition iPhone marking the product’s 20th anniversary, all under the leadership of new CEO John Ternus. The devices will integrate with iOS 28 and feature privacy indicators to show when visual data is being sent to the cloud.