Apple's AI‑powered Siri expected to debut by April
What's the story
Apple's much-anticipated AI-powered Siri could be making its debut as early as late March or early April this year, according to 9to5Mac. The tech giant had first teased the feature at WWDC 2024 but didn't launch it with iPhone 17 last year due to technical issues and a desire to "get it right." Now, after months of testing and tweaking, Apple seems ready for the big reveal.
Feature enhancement
AI-powered Siri: A major leap forward
The new Siri, which is part of "Apple Intelligence," is a major upgrade from the current version. It promises to be more personal, intuitive, and helpful than ever before. One of the key upgrades is personal context, where Siri will use information from across a user's device—messages, emails, notes—to provide relevant answers. This way, users won't have to remember where something is stored as Siri will do the remembering for them.
User interaction
On-screen awareness and in-app actions
Another major upgrade is on-screen awareness, which lets Siri know what you're currently looking at on your iPhone or iPad. This way, if you're viewing a photo, email, or message thread, Siri will respond accordingly without you having to explain everything. The third major upgrade focuses on in-app actions where Siri can perform tasks directly within apps like scheduling meetings or sending photos without switching between screens.
Development process
Apple's meticulous approach to AI development
Apple's long wait for this version of Siri wasn't due to lack of effort. The company had two different versions of the new system architecture in the works, one capable of handling basic features shown at WWDC 2024 and another more advanced one. However, this advanced version didn't meet Apple's high standards during internal testing.
Strategy alignment
Apple's AI strategy prioritizes on-device intelligence
Apple's approach to AI is in line with its broader ambitions. Instead of following competitors who rely heavily on cloud computing, Apple is building its system around on-device intelligence. This ensures user data stays private and secure. The rollout of the new Siri is expected to be phased, likely starting with US users before expanding globally.