Apple is set to release iPadOS 27.2 next week, and the update carries over a recent Mac feature to the tablet: a Siri popup that appears when a user selects text.
The new Siri assistant is the centerpiece of iOS 27, iPadOS 27 and the companion releases, and Apple has given users many ways to reach it. On iPad, people can summon it by saying "Siri" or "Hey Siri," pulling down from the top of the screen, choosing the new Siri option in the edit menu, or opening the dedicated Siri app. Another route is pressing Command + Space to open Spotlight and putting a question to Siri from there.
With version 27.2, iPadOS gains one more entry point, and it comes straight from the Mac. In macOS 27 Golden Gate, selecting text in many situations makes a small Siri icon show up at the top-left corner of the selection. Hovering the cursor over that icon expands it into an "Ask Siri" text box.
That behavior was not part of the initial iPadOS 27 release. Under iPadOS 27.2, however, the same function is available to anyone who has a trackpad connected to their iPad.
The icon starts out small and unobtrusive, so it stays out of the way until needed. Hovering over it is enough to bring up the "Ask Siri" box, which makes it a quick way to query the assistant about highlighted text.
Users without a trackpad are not left out entirely. Selecting text on an iPad still reveals the full edit menu, where they can tap to open Siri. The trackpad approach, however, is described as a smoother and more seamless experience.
The addition also reflects a broader pattern. macOS includes many small, productivity-minded features that speed up everyday tasks but have been missing from iPadOS, so seeing a recent Mac feature arrive on the iPad is a welcome development.
