Apple says smarter Siri still coming in 2026 despite delay reports

Apple

• Apple plans to launch a smarter Siri in 2026.
• Internal delays may push Siri's release past iOS 26.4.
• Siri adds onscreen awareness and personal context features.

Did our AI summary help?

Apple has said it is still planning to launch a smarter and more capable version of its voice assistant Siri in 2026, even as reports suggest the upgrade may face internal delays.

The company shared the update with CNBC, a day after Bloomberg reported that Apple has been struggling to get the new version of Siri ready on time.

Apple had originally hoped to roll out the improved Siri in spring 2025 as part of its broader “Apple Intelligence” push. However, around March 2025 — when many expected the feature to debut — Apple admitted that Siri was not ready and needed more work. Later, the company revised its timeline and said the update would arrive sometime in 2026.

While Apple has never given a specific launch date beyond saying “2026,” Bloomberg reported that the company was targeting the iOS 26.4 update, expected in spring 2026. Now, the report suggests that the upgraded Siri may not be ready even for that release. If that happens, the features could be pushed to iOS 26.5 or even to iOS 27, which is expected to launch in September 2026.

Technically, Apple is not late yet. Since it only promised a 2026 release, it still has until December next year to deliver the new Siri without missing its public deadline. However, internally, the company may not meet its earlier targets.

Apple first previewed the next-generation Siri in June 2024. The company demonstrated features such as onscreen awareness — allowing Siri to understand what is currently displayed on the iPhone — personal context that helps it remember user preferences, and improved ability to work across different apps. Apple has also reportedly been working on additional tools, including image generation and better web search capabilities.

But according to reports, testing has not gone smoothly. Siri is said to sometimes misunderstand questions, respond slowly, or fail to complete tasks properly. Because of these issues, Apple may roll out the new features in phases rather than all at once.

The timing matters. Apple’s stock reportedly fell five percent amid the delay speculation and increased scrutiny from US regulators over Apple News. Investors are closely watching how quickly Apple can catch up in the AI race.

Apple is expected to release the first beta version of iOS 26.4 later this month, which should offer clearer signs of how close the smarter Siri really is to launch.