Over the past few weeks, I’ve been able to try watchOS 26’s most intriguing new feature, Workout Buddy. For those unfamiliar, Workout Buddy is an AI coach that keeps you motivated when you’re doing routine workouts, such as Traditional Strength Training and Outdoor Running.
While this feature is still in beta, it’s already impressive. It gathers information from the Health app to give you information about your performance over the past few weeks and during the current week. It also shows you how far are you from your goal, such as closing your rings.
To use Workout Buddy, you need an iPhone 15 Pro or newer and an Apple Watch Series 9, Apple Watch Series 10, or Apple Watch Ultra 2. More than that, these devices need to be close to one another, because Apple pulls the data from the iPhone — which is a bit of a bummer if you’re like me and prefer to run without your phone since your Apple Watch has cellular connectivity. That said, after spending a few weeks with Workout Buddy, this feature got me thinking about the long-awaited conversational Siri update.
When to expect a conversational Siri
A conversational Siri has been in the works for ages. Last fall, Bloomberg reported that iOS 19 — now known as iOS 26 — would feature more advanced large language models to allow users to have back-and-forth conversations with Siri. While this hasn’t come to fruition, and Apple is reportedly still at least six months away from introducing its revamped Siri, a truly conversational assistant might take a bit longer.
Also according to Bloomberg in a more recent story, Apple will launch a new iteration of Siri by early next year, but it will be capable of performing basic home control commands, like playing songs, taking notes, and web browsing. It doesn’t sound much different from what Siri is capable of today.
However, by 2027, the company plans to add this conversational Siri to a tabletop robot. This device has been referred to by some as the “Pixar Lamp” and will have an all-new software that can be interacted with by touch control and also voice commands. More interestingly, it will recognize your face and your voice to quickly deliver information that matters the most to you.
Workout Buddy feels like a prototype of the new Siri
Apple’s Workout Buddy uses a combination of Apple Fitness+ coach voices and AI to offer custom data. So far, my AI coach has told me things like “You’ve participated in at least two Traditional Strength workouts for the past four weeks,” “Your workout was almost enough to close your Move ring,” and “You just achieved your tenth kilometer, you’ve been running for 47 minutes now.” It also gave me summaries of my week and then say, “Now keep enjoying Stand by Me by Oasis,” and let the music take over.
While, of course, I can’t interact with the AI coach, I’m hoping the conversational Siri will be able to achieve a similar level of natural chatter. Apple has a lot of work to do, but if the company is able to convince third-party developers to use its App Intent API, it will pave the way for more interesting capabilities, such as calling an Uber, replying to an email, or adding a friend’s birthday party to my calendar.
That said, watchOS 26’s Workout Buddy is just a tiny glimpse of what’s coming, but it gives me hope Apple is finally headed in the right direction after stumbling out of the gate in its approach to AI.
