After years of naming macOS releases after California landmarks — Ventura, Sonoma, Sequoia — Apple is moving on. macOS 27, introduced at WWDC 2026, is called Golden Gate, and the company has confirmed it is the first in a new recurring naming model rather than a California geography rotation.
The headline feature is Siri AI, built around Google Gemini models. The redesigned assistant lives in its own dedicated app and across the system, capable of completing multi-step tasks via voice or text — writing emails, managing your calendar, controlling apps — while drawing on both internet knowledge and what is currently on your screen. Apple says Siri AI can also dictate across apps with higher accuracy and write in a user's own voice. The advanced Siri capabilities require at least an M3 chip with 12GB of RAM, meaning only the most recent Mac hardware gets the full experience.
Beyond Siri, macOS Golden Gate adds:
- Visual Intelligence — a keyboard shortcut-triggered screen analyzer that provides contextual information on whatever you are looking at
- Writing Tools — tone and phrasing adjustments adapted for different audiences
- Safari — AI-generated tab grouping, notification alerts, and the ability to create extensions by describing them in plain language
- Shortcuts — natural language workflow creation without requiring any technical knowledge
- Image Playgrounds — expanded styles and editing options for AI-generated images
- Photos — generative tools for aspect ratio adjustments and a new Spatial Reframing mode for video
On the system side, the update refines the Liquid Glass design language with adjustable transparency intensity, consistent window corner radius, an overhauled search architecture, and a consolidated Home app with Auto Highlights for security footage. Siri AI is available in the EU at launch despite earlier uncertainty, though China-based users face delays.
Intel Mac support ends here. macOS Golden Gate requires Apple silicon, cutting off every Intel-based Mac from updates. The developer beta is available now; general availability is expected this autumn.
Sources:
