Apple has yet to set a firm date for the launch of its Apple Intelligence-enhanced Siri. That’s for a good reason, as new reports from trusted Apple leakers suggest AI-capable Siri won’t be here any time soon. Perhaps a longer delay will be good for Apple—and more importantly—Apple users.
Apple’s slow rollout of Apple Intelligence started in October, though we have yet to see any chatbot capabilities close to software like Google’s Gemini. In a new report, Bloomberg’s Apple guru Mark Gurman wrote that iOS 19—set to debut at WWDC 2025 this summer—could roll out the new Siri, but that software won’t launch until spring 2026. Gurman speculated this could be a part of iOS 19.4. The Bloomberg reporter relies on a host of internal and external sources, and he has a fair track record on Apple’s release timing.
Siri’s conversational capabilities will supposedly be akin to Google’s Gemini Live. This “LLM Siri,” as it’s been dubbed in recent reports, is still many months away. Meanwhile, on Monday, Google just debuted new capabilities that let its AI respond to users’ video and screen content in real time.
Do Users Really Care About an Apple Intelligence Delay?
The Cupertino, California tech giant could still surprise us. However, Apple needs to combine its aging Siri architecture with modern AI software. That’s proving difficult, according to Gurman. The true, conversational Siri may not be around until 2027. Worse, iOS 19 may not include any big changes to Apple’s AI. That may seem like Apple is missing out on the latest trend, but I see something different at work. Perhaps Apple can focus on making a phone that doesn’t have to rely on energy-hungry AI.
The last few iOS updates have enabled Apple Intelligence for all iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 users, eating up more and more storage on users’ devices. This is despite a recent survey reporting few Apple buyers are getting the company’s latest iPhones for the sake of Apple Intelligence. Perhaps, Apple will go against its instincts and try to enable other AI models on its platform other than just ChatGPT. Recent code leaks suggest Apple could even allow Gemini onto iPhones by default, though this will likely be as limited as OpenAI’s integration with Siri.
The rumors arrive less than a week after Amazon debuted its Alexa+ platform. The online retail giant’s system uses a host of AI models integrated onto its Echo Show products with an all new, AI-enhanced UI. This allows users to order products, set up smart home routines, search for music or movie content, and look at their connected security cameras, all using conversational language. It was impressive, but all the company’s demos took place in a closed ecosystem, and we have yet to see these capabilities outside an Amazon event.
Alexa+ may be useful for those who have filled their home with Amazon products (especially for those who don’t mind the massive privacy implications of Amazon software). Amazon is also going to rely on a website and app to keep users connected to their smart home AI. Apple only has to stick it on iPhones, MacBooks, and other devices like the Vision Pro to engender usage. The problem is, Apple has to make users give a damn about a chatbot that can make a calendar event from your emails.
Every major tech company has promised some variety of AI-enabled assistant, but the software’s usability has fallen short of the mark. Google’s Gemini on the latest Android phones like the Samsung Galaxy S25 is capable of accessing your emails and performing some cross-app tasks, though not in any way that truly changes how you use your phone. Apple’s rendition of AI features its creepy Image Playground, pointless AI emojis, and hilarious notification summaries. The company removed those summaries with the latest iOS beta.
I would rather my iPhone improve with time in significant ways that don’t all rely on AI enhancements. I may not need a thinner iPhone, like the rumored iPhone 17 Air, but I’m sure I and others would appreciate a better refresh rate on base iPhone models. One problem is price. The iPhone 16e, which is built for Apple Intelligence as much as the regular iPhone 16, starts at $600. That’s nowhere near as budget-friendly as the last-gen iPhone SE. It’s only going to get harder to justify price bumps if we won’t see any real AI capabilities for months or even years.
