Apple registers new subdomain ahead of WWDC, fueling AI buzz
What's the story
Ahead of the much-anticipated Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) 2026, Apple has registered a new subdomain: genai.apple.com. The move comes just weeks before the event, hinting at possible "AI advancements" that the tech giant plans to unveil. However, as of now, this new domain doesn't lead to an active webpage, and its exact purpose remains unclear.
Speculation
Major Siri upgrade expected
The registration of the genai.apple.com subdomain has led to speculation about a major upgrade for Siri, Apple's voice assistant. The tech giant had promised a smarter version of Siri at WWDC in previous years. Now, with this new domain, it looks like Apple is finally ready to deliver on that promise by giving Siri more contextual understanding and app integration capabilities.
Information
Siri's rollout was delayed due to technical issues
The revamped version of Siri was initially expected to debut with iOS 26.4 update. However, it reportedly ran into technical issues during internal testing. This is despite Apple's deal with Google to use its Gemini models as the backbone for the new and improved Siri.
Feature reveal
A standalone app for Siri
WWDC 2026 could be the platform where Apple unveils a host of new features for Siri. One major addition could be a standalone Siri app that works like a full-fledged chatbot, similar to ChatGPT or Claude. The app is expected to save past chats as memories and let users search through conversations like any other chatbot.
Privacy focus
Privacy features in the new app
The upcoming Siri app is also expected to come with some privacy features. These include an auto-delete chat history option, similar to the one on iOS's Messages app. Users will be able to choose how long they want Siri to keep their conversations for 30 days, a year, or indefinitely. Apple is also said to be tightening controls over what memories Siri saves and for how long.
App Store update
Integration with 3rd-party AI assistants
Along with the Siri upgrade, Apple is also said to be testing a new Extensions system in the App Store. This feature could let users integrate third-party AI assistants like Claude or Gemini with Siri. The move is similar to how Siri has been directing complex queries to ChatGPT over the last couple of years and could open up a new revenue stream for Apple.