Apple's smarter Siri still on track for 2026 launch
What's the story
Apple has confirmed that its much-anticipated upgrade to Siri, the company's digital assistant, is still on track for a 2026 launch. The confirmation was shared with CNBC and comes amid reports of potential internal delays in the development process, as reported by Bloomberg. The tech giant had initially planned to release the improved version of Siri in spring 2025 as part of its broader Apple Intelligence initiative.
Launch delay
Apple pushed Siri update to 2026
In March 2025, Apple admitted that Siri wasn't ready and needed more work. The company then revised its timeline, pushing the update to sometime in 2026. While a specific launch date hasn't been given, Bloomberg reported that Apple was eyeing the iOS 26.4 update for a spring 2026 release. However, recent reports suggest that the upgraded version of Siri may not be ready even by then.
Testing challenges
Next-gen Siri was 1st previewed in June 2024
Apple first previewed the next-generation Siri in June 2024. The company showcased features like onscreen awareness, personal context, and improved cross-app functionality. However, reports indicate that internal testing hasn't gone smoothly with issues like misunderstanding questions or slow responses. Due to these problems, Apple may opt for a phased rollout of the new features instead of an all-at-once launch.
Market reaction
Apple stock drops 5% amid delay speculations
The delay speculation and scrutiny from US regulators over Apple News have reportedly caused a five percent drop in Apple's stock. Investors are closely watching how quickly Apple can catch up in the AI race. The company is expected to release the first beta version of iOS 26.4 later this month, which should provide clearer signs of how close the smarter Siri really is to launch.