Apple is planning to release a major update to Siri, its voice assistant, in spring 2026. This upgrade is a big part of Apple’s efforts to improve its artificial intelligence (AI) technology.
According to people familiar with the project, the updated Siri is expected to come with iOS 26.4, likely around March 2026, though the exact date hasn’t been finalized. The upgrade will make Siri smarter by allowing it to use personal data and what’s on the user’s screen to answer questions more accurately.
What Caused the Delay?
The update has been delayed multiple times:
- Originally planned for fall 2024 with the iPhone 16.
- Then shifted to spring 2025.
- Next moved to May 2025 with iOS 18.5.
- Finally, it was postponed indefinitely in March 2025.
The delay happened because the new version of Siri wasn’t working reliably—it had issues about one-third of the time. This was due to technical problems from combining two different systems: one older system for basic tasks and a newer one for advanced features. These issues led Apple to rebuild Siri from scratch.
Read more: Lava Storm Unleashed! Play & Lite Strike India’s Market with Durable Appeal
Who’s Involved?
Due to the problems, John Giannandrea, the senior vice president of AI, lost control over Siri and some other projects. Now, Mike Rockwell (who led the Vision Pro headset team) and Craig Federighi (head of software engineering) are leading the new Siri development. Internally, the updated system is called Siri LLM (short for large language model).
What’s New with Siri?
The new Siri will include:
- App Intents: A feature that allows Siri to control apps more precisely.
- Improved ability to understand context, user data, and screen content.
- A future goal to make Siri an always-on assistant that is more conversational.
However, at Apple’s recent WWDC event, they didn’t show any new Siri features. Craig Federighi said the updates “need more time” and will be shared next year.
Also See: OnePlus Nord 5 Likely to Launch with a 6,550 mAh Battery: All the Details
Other Effects of the Delay
Because Siri’s upgrade is delayed:
- A planned smart home hub that depends on the new Siri was also postponed.
- Apple’s AI-powered smart glasses, expected next year, might face limitations. For now, Apple relies on AI from OpenAI and Google for some features.
Apple is also working on a chatbot project called “Knowledge” that will pull information from the internet. This is being led by Robby Walker, who previously worked on Siri. Some employees are unsure whether his team is ready for this challenge.
