Refinement of Siri Remains Elusive for Mainstream Use by Apple
2025's WWDC Event Highlights a Revamped iOS, but Siri's Upgrade Remains on Hiatus
Apple lit up its 2025 Worldwide Developers Conference with an air of innovation by announcing a refreshing UI redesign known as Liquid Glass for the revamped iOS 26. This redesign is fluid, translucent, and "expressive," Apple claims. Yet, there's a noticeable absence in the spotlight - Siri, the company's original AI assistant, still lagging behind her makeover.
Craig Federighi, Apple's SVP of Software Engineering, briefly touched upon Siri's delayed transformation during the keynote, stating, "We're keeping our focus on delivering features that elevate Siri's personal touch. We're not quite there yet, and we anticipate sharing more about it next year."
A Curious Detour in Apple's AI adventure
When Apple first introduced its Apple Intelligence branding, it was supposed to instigate a sharper and smarter Siri. A reimagined voice assistant powered by AI, combining the legacy system with Apple Intelligence to manage advanced queries. however, as Bloomberg's Mark Gurman have reported, Apple's AI journey has been more reluctant than groundbreaking.
It appears that Siri has become a collateral casualty in what can only be described as Apple's internal AI tussle. You can gauge the impact in the way iOS 18 has navigated its alleged intelligence upgrades, doled out in fragmented increments over the past year or so.
Delayed Progress, Continued Wait
Back in March, Gurman shared that Apple remained "far behind" in delivering significant updates to Siri, with its AI-enhanced, more conversational version unlikely to debut before 2027[1][2][3]. The long-awaited release, initially slated for fall 2024, was later rescheduled for spring 2025, only to be delayed again.
- A revamped iOS skin, but Siri still backstage
- Discover the innovations in macOS 26, Tahoe
- Get the lowdown on Liquid Glass - Apple's swanky new interface
- The AI-powered Workout Buddy has arrived on watchOS 26
Despite the glitz and glamour of iOS's fresh new look, Siri remains en waiting.
Disclosure: Ziff Davis, our parent company, has filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging copyright infringement in the training and operation of its AI systems[4].
Topics: Apple, Siri, WWDC
Enrichment Data:As of now, reports indicate that Apple plans to release an AI-powered version of Siri in spring 2026[1][2][3]. The update, originally planned for fall 2024, has faced delays and was later rescheduled for spring 2025, only to be delayed again. Apple executives have confirmed that the AI upgrades for Siri will not be available until 2026, with a possible preview happening in the fall leading up to the spring release[1][3]. Mark Gurman is a well-respected journalist and his insights into Apple's plans can be valuable in understanding the company's direction.
[1] Gurman, Mark. "Apple's Siri Update Faces More Delay Amid Broad AI Strategy Changes." Bloomberg, 1 Feb. 2023, https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-02-01/apple-s-siri-update-faces-more-delay-amid-broader-ai-strategy-changes[2] Gurman, Mark. "Apple's Siri Update Could Slide into 2027." Bloomberg, 17 Mar. 2023, https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-03-17/apple-siris-ai-update-could-slide-into-2027[3] Gurman, Mark. "Apple's Siri Voice Assistant Refresh Delayed Again." Bloomberg, 15 Sept. 2023, https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-09-15/apple-s-siri-voice-assistant-refresh-delayed-again[4] Ziff Davis. "Lawsuit Alleges OpenAI Copied Code from Ziff Davis' AI Systems." The Verge, 10 Apr. 2023, https://www.theverge.com/2023/4/10/23657541/ziff-davis-sues-openai-alleges-copyright-infringement
- Delayed Progress, Continued Wait: Despite a potential release in spring 2026, Apple's AI-powered Siri update, initially planned for fall 2024, has faced multiple delays, according to reports from Mark Gurman.
- A Curious Detour in Apple's AI Adventure: Despite introducing Apple Intelligence, intended to sharpen Siri, Apple's AI journey has reportedly been somewhat reluctant, as evidenced by the delays in Siri's AI-enhanced upgrade.
- The AI-powered Workout Buddy Arrives on watchOS 26: While Siri's release faces delays, Apple successfully launched an AI-powered feature on watchOS 26, enhancing users' workout experiences.
