Apple has released a second release candidate for watchOS 27.2, bringing the upcoming Apple Watch update closer to its expected public release next week.
The new build arrives just four days after the first release candidate and is available to developers and public beta testers.
The biggest changes focus on Siri AI, which gets improved memory, access to more personal information, and faster responses. Apple is also restoring an app-switching feature that disappeared in an earlier update.
Siri AI Gets Better Memory and Faster Responses
With watchOS 27.2, Siri can remember previous conversations, allowing users to revisit earlier requests without starting over.
For example, someone who asked Siri for restaurant recommendations last week could follow up about those suggestions without repeating the original question.
The assistant can also access more information stored on a paired iPhone, including:
- Photos shared in Messages
- Calendar event attendees
- Voicemails
- Safari browsing history and Reading List items
Siri also responds noticeably faster to everyday commands. Tasks such as starting a timer, which could feel sluggish in watchOS 27.0, now execute almost immediately, sometimes before Siri finishes speaking.
Basic commands can also run without active Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, or cellular connections, suggesting more processing is happening directly on the Apple Watch rather than relying on remote servers.
Language support expands to French, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, and Spanish. However, Siri AI remains unavailable in the European Union and mainland China.
Apple Watch App Switcher Returns
Another change addresses a frustration introduced in an earlier watchOS update.
Apple had removed the familiar app-switching gesture after reassigning the Digital Crown’s double-click action to Siri AI.
In watchOS 27.2, users can access the app switcher again by long-pressing near the bottom of the screen while inside an app.
There’s still a limitation: the gesture doesn’t work from the Home Screen, meaning users must open an app before accessing the switcher.
Apple is also introducing a new Excluded Apps setting that lets users control which apps Siri, Search, and suggestions can access. The controls are consolidated on the paired iPhone, making it easier to restrict access to personal information.
The second watchOS 27.2 release candidate is available through Settings on Apple Watch or the Watch app on iPhone.
Apple hasn’t confirmed a public release date, but the update is expected to arrive alongside iOS 27.2 and other software releases next week.
