Apple appears to be making progress on a major update to its Siri software that would expand its capabilities and incorporate more AI features. According to a report from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, the delayed update for Siri now has an internal release window of spring 2026.
The update, which could arrive with iOS version 26.4, would make good on features and updates Apple introduced at 2024’s WWDC. Since then, the updates to Siri that were supposed to incorporate many of the company’s Apple Intelligence have failed to materialize and the company’s AI efforts so far haven’t wowed tech enthusiasts.
New capabilities for Siri would allow it to have more controls over apps across different devices. But according to Bloomberg’s report, internal development of Siri has been chaotic and the possibility of releasing a big update in the spring is not a sure thing. One scenario is that a preview version would be available at that time with a full release set for 2026’s iPhone rollout later in the year.
Fortunately for Apple, AI isn’t currently factoring heavily into people’s phone-buying decisions. A survey published this week suggests just 11% of people are driven to upgrade because of AI features.
A representative from Apple did not immediately return a request for information on the update. Apple has been vague in statements about Siri’s next update, promising only that it would be available “in the coming year.”
Amazon has had similar struggles with Alexa, its personal assistant software available on devices from Amazon and other companies. Its Alexa products have lost money and the company is in the process of rolling out Alexa Plus, which also incorporates new AI-driven features and would require a fee for those who don’t have Amazon Prime. That rollout has also faced delays.
What’s the holdup with Siri?
Integrating AI into a speech assistant like Siri is much more complex than it seems, says Vikas Sharma, senior director of patent services at Quandary Peak Research.
“An AI-integrated speech assistant must not only perform accurate speech recognition and feed that input into large language models but also intelligently invoke the correct APIs to perform tasks on the device,” Sharma says. “Hallucination and inconsistency are major concerns — these systems can potentially trigger the wrong APIs, leading to incorrect or unintended actions.”
In typical Apple fashion, Sharma says, the company may be putting off release until it feels it has a more polished product.
“I believe Apple wants to avoid a repeat of the Apple Maps launch, which faced significant backlash for being released before it was fully ready,” he says.
Sharma points to recent changes in leadership on Siri as a sign that Apple Intelligence is still a major priority. But, he says, Apple might do well to acquire an AI company or partner with a high-profile AI firm to send a clear signal that it’s serious about leading the space. It should also, Sharma says, create more messaging focused on Siri.
“To change the perception that it’s lagging behind in AI, Apple needs to broaden its focus on AI and communicate its progress more frequently and transparently,” he says.
