Apple is beginning beta testing for a group of AI-powered Audio Intelligence features designed for the Apple Watch. The tools can recognize important sounds, identify music, rewind a recent conversation, and create notes from discussions.
The beta rollout starts Tuesday for developers through the iOS 27.3 update, while the watchOS 27.3 beta includes Siri Recap and Live Rewind. Apple announced the release through a press release from Apple in India, but the beta has not reached the U.S. market as of this morning.
Apple first introduced the technology at its Surprise and Shine hardware event in September. The four opt-in features are available on Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4, which use microphones to pick up audio from their surroundings.
Live Rewind turns missed words into text
Live Rewind is designed for those moments when someone says something and you do not catch it. Double-press the Digital Crown, and the Apple Watch shows a text snippet covering the last 15 seconds of a conversation.
The action produces an audible chime, while the display shows an animation and a microphone indicator. That happens even when the watch is set to silent, giving people a clear signal that Live Rewind is active.
After the snippet appears, you can read it and let it disappear, save it to the standalone Siri app, or tap the “Ask Siri” option below the text. The Siri option lets you ask questions about something that was said.
Snippets delete themselves after 30 seconds unless you save them. Apple says the feature can convert the last 15 seconds of a conversation into text without recording or storing the audio behind it.
Siri Recap creates short notes from conversations
Siri Recap takes the listening technology further by creating a high-level summary of a conversation. Apple Intelligence generates a title, a short sentence, and bullet points that capture key parts of what was discussed.
The feature could help during work meetings, parent-teacher conferences, personal training sessions, or any discussion where you need to remember tasks and other details. The notes are available through the Siri app when you need to jog your memory.
Apple says Siri Recap does not identify speakers, save raw audio, or provide word-for-word transcripts. It also says summaries will not show sensitive information such as financial details.
Recaps do not record conversations when you are listening to music with headphones or using their noise cancellation features. When Siri Recap is enabled, the watch reminds you to review saved recaps at the end of the day and again when you first unlock it in the morning.
You choose which notes to keep. Saved recaps can move to the Notes app or, when they are more personal, the Journal app. If you take no action, recaps delete themselves within seven days.
Users can enable Siri Recap manually or create a schedule, such as limiting it to work hours or preventing it from running at night. Even with a schedule in place, the feature can be turned off at any time from Control Center.
Sound recognition and privacy controls
The other Audio Intelligence tools focus on sounds and music. Sound recognition can help deaf and hard-of-hearing users identify important noises, including sirens, alarms, and doorbells, directly from the watch.
Song recognition uses Apple’s Shazam app to detect music playing in the background and identify the song name and artist. Each of the four features is opt-in, and users can turn them off individually, with some requiring manual activation.
The S11 chip inside the Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4 processes audio in isolation from the rest of the device, then deletes it right away. Apple says its operating systems cannot access the raw audio, and neither can apps, users, or Apple itself.
Apple also says Audio Intelligence does not identify or attribute speakers in a conversation. Siri Recap and Live Rewind will first support English only, will not be available in the EU, and will be subject to daily usage limits.
AI becomes part of Apple’s services plans
The watch features arrive as Apple connects AI to its larger services strategy. On the product side, Apple chief financial officer Kevan Parekh said AI gives customers a reason to upgrade and switch for new capabilities, while third-party apps and partnerships create other opportunities.
“On the product side, you know, we feel AI offers a compelling reason for customers to upgrade and switch in order to get the latest capabilities, and we also feel there’s opportunities across third-party apps and partnerships as well as first-party opportunities,” Parekh said.
Investors are also considering whether Apple could distribute third-party AI agents through the App Store and take a share of the revenue they generate. Regulatory and legal changes have reduced App Store commission revenue in some markets, and a lawsuit by Epic Games forced Apple to allow apps to redirect users to outside payment systems.
Parekh said App Store performance during the September quarter matched the prior year, with a record number of paid subscriptions and double-digit growth for third-party apps. He also said Apple expects services growth of 8 to 9% in the December quarter, with third-party licensing and foreign exchange among the expected headwinds.
For now, Apple’s watch-based AI remains in beta testing, with U.S. availability still pending. The first release gives developers a look at how Live Rewind, Siri Recap, sound recognition, and song recognition will work on the latest Apple Watch models.
Based on
- Apple Watch’s AI features for rewinding and recapping conversations begin beta testing — techcrunch.com
- Apple’s Upcoming watchOS 27 Beta Will Enable Siri Recap And Live Rewind Audio Features — engadget.com
- What Is AssistiveTouch On Your Apple Watch And When Should You Use It? — engadget.com
- The Apple Watch Ultra 4 is $100 off, matching its best price to date | The Verge — theverge.com
- Apple may try to increase revenue by doing…something with third-party AI apps | TechCrunch — techcrunch.com
