The Siri upgrade you’re waiting for might not be ready until 2026

It looks like Apple’s Siri will be getting more intelligent — in time.

Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman recently highlighted that Apple is reportedly working on a more conversational version of its digital assistant, Siri. The goal is to enhance Siri’s capabilities and compete with advanced voice services like OpenAI’s ChatGPT. This upgraded version is expected to integrate more sophisticated large language models (LLMs), enabling more natural interactions.

Once these enhancements are finalized, Apple aims to position itself as a more significant player in artificial intelligence. The updated Siri will be available on iPhones, iPads, and Macs, and it is anticipated to be released through updates for iOS 19, iPadOS 19, and macOS 16, respectively.

However, this new Siri development will extend into 2025 and will likely be publicly launched in early 2026. While we might see announcements about these advancements next year at the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in June, widespread access will apparently come later.

Apple

It’s worth noting that Siri has already begun to receive updates through Apple Intelligence that improve contextual awareness and facilitate more natural conversations. Nonetheless, the most significant changes are still on the horizon.

As an early and ongoing beta tester for Apple Intelligence, I believe it is worthwhile to give Apple the time it needs to develop the digital assistant it envisions. Although it may mean waiting an additional 16 to 18 months, considering past criticisms of Siri lagging behind other voice assistants, this extended timeline could serve the bigger picture of delivering a more capable product.

Apple Intelligence was first announced at WWDC earlier this year. It uses on-device processing to protect your privacy while helping you with various tasks. The feature is designed to improve your writing by suggesting changes in tone and style, summarizing emails and messages for quick comprehension, and enhancing Siri’s language understanding for more natural interactions. It can also remove unwanted objects from photos and help you manage your schedule and notifications more effectively.

Though announced months ago, the first part of Apple Intelligence was only released to the public in October. Additional components are expected to arrive before the end of the year and into 2025.