watchOS 27.3 beta adds new Siri Recap and Live Rewind features for Apple Watch

Apple has launched the initial beta of watchOS 27.3 for developers, introducing two novel Audio Intelligence features for the Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4: Siri Recap and Live Rewind. These features were initially unveiled at Apple's special event in September, with a timeline for their inclusion in the beta later in the year.

Siri Recap, as per Apple's announcement, generates concise summaries of conversations that users can revisit later. When enabled, Apple's Intelligence system automatically crafts a title and key points for review within the Siri app on iPhone. This feature passively notes conversations throughout the day, crafting high-level summaries that can aid in memory recall, allowing users to remain present.

Summaries are automatically deleted after 7 days unless saved. Siri Recap can be toggled in the Watch app on iPhone, with options for scheduling based on time, location, or manual control through Apple Watch's Control Center.

Live Rewind, on the other hand, assists users in recollecting recent parts of a conversation. By double-pressing the Digital Crown on Apple Watch, users can view a transcript of the preceding 15 seconds of dialogue. This feature enables users to catch any missed or less familiar statements by displaying a text snippet on their device.

Users have the option to query Siri about the snippet's content or save it to the Siri app. Apple underscores the privacy-centric design of these features, noting that Live Rewind emits an audible alert even when the Apple Watch is silent. Additionally, neither feature identifies or attributes speakers, and Siri Recap's summaries are brief, high-level recaps rather than full transcripts.

They also stipulate the exclusion of sensitive information from summaries and assure end-to-end encryption for Live Rewind text snippets and Siri Recap summaries. Apple further assures that these features do not record audio or retain raw audio data, processing audio within a Secure Exclave on the S11 chip and immediately deleting it post-processing.

Apple has published a comprehensive Privacy Overview on its website, detailing these Audio Intelligence features, along with a dedicated support article. These features are accessible in beta through watchOS 27.3, currently available for developers.