Apple has an internal target for unveiling a much-awaited update to Siri voice assistant in spring 2026. This means the update could be launched in March or April 2026, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
The tech giant wants to release the updated Siri alongside the iOS 26.4 software update, according to the Bloomberg report. It is important to note that Apple's “.4” updates are usually released in March. The report adds that the company only has a time frame for launching the update, not an exact date.
Apple had introduced the updated AI-based Siri at the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in June 2024. It was meant to be launched with the new iPhone in 2024. Then the release date was shifted and the company was expected to unveil it with iOS 18.4. Thereafter, the release date was changed again and it was expected to be launched in May 2025 with iOS 18.5.
However, by March 2025, the release was postponed indefinitely. Engineering problems that prevented the update from working properly were the reason for the delays, according to Bloomberg.
If the update is finally released in 2026, it would translate into a gap of two years since the update was announced and finally offered to the customers. This is important as the features were used to market the iPhone 16, even though it did not come with the upgraded Siri.
Gurman reports that internally Apple's AI and marketing teams have blamed each other on this issue. While the engineering team has blamed the marketing department for overhyping the features, the marketing team that it worked according to the schedule provided by the AI department, according to Gurman.
As per PhoneArena, the upgraded Siri is expected to use the Large Language Model (LLM) AI technology. It notes that Siri often has issues in setting an alarm or switching off the flashlight. This could change with the latest update. Tom's Guide says it is unclear if Siri will become a chatbot like Google's Gemini or OpenAI's ChatGPT.
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