The new Siri/Apple Intelligence features are not limited to the iPhone 17 Pro. They can also be tested on supported iPads, as long as the device meets the hardware requirements. For iPads, you generally need an Apple Silicon model (for example an M1 iPad Pro or newer), the latest iPadOS 27 Beta, and the correct language/region settings for Apple Intelligence. After enabling Apple Intelligence, the device may need some time for indexing and downloading the required models. I'm currently testing iOS 27 Beta on an iPhone 17 Pro, and from what I've seen, the biggest challenge right now is not necessarily the hardware, but the activation process. Some users get access quickly, while others remain stuck on the waitlist or have issues after being approved. So if you don't have an iPhone 17 Pro, an M-series iPad can still be a good device for testing. Just keep in mind that the beta rollout and Siri activation seem to be inconsistent at the moment.

I understand your frustration. I'm also having issues with the new Siri on iOS 27 Beta, and it seems like the rollout is not working consistently for everyone. I'm using an iPhone 17 Pro, and while I was able to get past the waitlist, the new Siri still doesn't activate correctly for me. The settings show "Siri (Beta)," and some parts of the new Siri are available, but the actual experience is still the old Siri. From what I've seen, some users get access within a few days, while others remain stuck on the waitlist for much longer. It doesn't necessarily mean you did something wrong — it looks like there may be issues with the activation process or the beta rollout itself. If all your settings are correct (supported language/region, Apple Intelligence enabled, enough storage, and your device has finished the setup processes), it may unfortunately just be a matter of waiting for Apple to fix or complete the rollout.

I think there may be some inconsistency with the rollout process right now. I'm experiencing something similar on my iPhone 17 Pro. In my case, the situation is a little different because I was able to get past the waitlist, but the new Siri still doesn't activate correctly. The settings show "Siri (Beta)," and the new Siri app can be opened through siri://, but the activation process appears to be stuck. Seeing your setup and the checks you've already done, it doesn't really sound like a local configuration issue. It seems like the Apple Intelligence/Siri activation process can get stuck at different stages depending on the device. Some users seem to get access within a few days, while others remain on the waitlist for a week or longer. Since this is still a developer beta, there may be server-side delays or issues with the rollout system. Hopefully Apple can smooth out the activation process in a future beta update, because right now the experience seems very inconsistent between users.

My experience with Siri AI on iOS 27 Beta has been a bit unusual so far because I haven't actually been able to use the new Siri properly yet. I'm using an iPhone 17 Pro, and while the option to enable the new Siri appeared, the activation process seems to be stuck. The setup completes, and the settings switch to "Siri (Beta)," but when I activate Siri, I still get the old Siri interface instead of the new Apple Intelligence version. I also noticed that opening siri:// through Safari launches the new Siri app, but it displays a message saying that the Siri update is still in progress and that adding support for Siri hasn't completed yet. My device is still completing some background setup tasks, but the activation itself seems to be stuck. From what I've seen in various community discussions, I'm definitely not the only one experiencing this. Some users remain on the waitlist for a long time, while others appear to be enrolled but still can't access the new Siri features properly. Other than this Siri-related issue, iOS 27 Beta has been running surprisingly well on my iPhone 17 Pro. Performance, battery life, and general stability have been good in my experience. At this point, I'm hoping a future beta update resolves whatever is preventing the new Siri from activating correctly.

I don't think your missing iPhone is necessarily the reason why you're still waiting. From what I've seen, some users get access within a couple of days, while others seem to stay on the waitlist for much longer, even when their devices have already finished indexing and everything appears to be set up correctly. I'm experiencing Siri-related issues on my iPhone 17 Pro myself, and there seem to be quite a few different reports from users right now. Some are stuck on the waitlist, while others appear to be enrolled but still can't use the new Siri properly. Since you're using an M1 iPad Pro, your device should be capable of running the new Siri features. Because this is still a beta, I wouldn't be surprised if delays, activation issues, or server-side rollout problems are affecting some users. At the moment, it doesn't sound like you've done anything wrong.

I honestly think there may be more going on than just the waitlist itself. I'm using an iPhone 17 Pro and I've been dealing with issues related to the new Siri as well. In my case, it appears that the enrollment process has already gone through, but Siri still doesn't activate correctly. Because of that, I'm starting to think there may be multiple issues affecting different users. Some people seem to get access within a couple of days, others remain on the waitlist for over a week, and then there are users who appear to be enrolled but still can't use the new Siri properly. Since this is still a beta, I wouldn't be surprised if there are server-side delays, activation bugs, or rollout issues involved. If your phone has already finished indexing and everything else looks normal, I don't think you're necessarily doing anything wrong. It may simply be a matter of Apple gradually enabling access or fixing bugs in future beta updates. I'd definitely be interested in seeing your comparison between the iPhone 16 Pro and 17 Pro once you get access.

Honestly, I don't think the waitlist system is working consistently for everyone right now. Some people seem to get access within a day or two, while others are stuck waiting much longer. In my case, I'm on an iPhone 17 Pro and I appear to be enrolled already, but the new Siri still doesn't work correctly. So even getting past the waitlist doesn't necessarily mean everything will activate as expected. Since this is still a beta, I wouldn't be surprised if there are server-side issues or activation bugs affecting some users.

It's possible that parental controls are playing a role, but based on my own experience, I wouldn't assume that's the cause right away. I'm using an iPhone 17 Pro and I'm experiencing issues with the new Siri as well, even without parental control restrictions. In my case, the phone shows that I'm enrolled, the new Siri setup appears, and some signs suggest that Apple Intelligence is available, but Siri still doesn't activate correctly. Since you're on an iOS 27 beta, there's also a chance that you're running into a beta-related bug rather than an age or parental control restriction. If your phone says you've joined the waitlist, that at least suggests the enrollment process has started. I'd check whether Apple Intelligence and Siri are fully enabled in Settings and make sure your device has finished any background setup tasks. If everything looks correct, it may simply require waiting for a future beta update or for Apple to complete the activation on their end.

I'm experiencing exactly the same issue. I'm also using an iPhone 17 Pro, and my situation is almost identical. The "Try New Siri" option appears, I can go through the setup process, and the settings change to "Siri (Beta)", but when I actually use Siri, it still launches the old Siri interface instead of the new Apple Intelligence version. I also noticed that opening siri:// through Safari launches the new Siri app, but it gets stuck on "Siri Update in Progress" and says that adding support for Siri hasn't completed. The app also doesn't appear in Spotlight. From my perspective, this looks like the device is already enrolled for the new Siri, but something during the activation, download, or registration process is stuck. Personally, I wouldn't downgrade back to iOS 26 and completely restore my iPhone just to fix this one feature. My iPhone 17 Pro is working perfectly otherwise, and going through a full restore, reinstalling everything, or setting up the phone as a new device is a lot of effort for something that will most likely be fixed in a future iOS 27 update. I know some people have fixed the issue by restoring to iOS 26 and setting up the phone as new, and I'm glad that worked for them. However, unless Siri AI is absolutely essential for your daily use, I personally don't think it's worth going through all that trouble right now. If you're not comfortable with restoring iOS or setting up your iPhone from scratch, I would recommend waiting for the next update and seeing if Apple fixes the issue. It seems more likely to be a software, activation, or registration issue rather than a hardware problem.