Apple’s much-anticipated Personalized Siri experience won’t be arriving this year. Instead, the company has pushed its release to 2026, frustrating users and raising concerns about Apple’s standing in the AI race.
Apple had initially planned to roll out new Siri features with iOS 18.4, but delays pushed the launch to iOS 18.5, and now, it’s not expected until next year. The company quietly updated its iPhone 16 product pages, confirming that the features are still “in development.”
What’s Working—and What’s Not
Robby Walker, Apple’s senior director of Siri, recently demonstrated the upgraded assistant’s capabilities to employees. According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, the showcase included voice-controlled app interactions, photo searches, and retrieving a driver’s license number on command. However, despite these advancements, the technology is still unreliable and not ready for public release.
Initially, Apple planned to roll out these features with iOS 18.4, but the timeline slipped to iOS 18.5 and now into next year. The company has quietly updated its iPhone 16 product pages, noting that Siri’s enhanced personalization and AI-powered actions are still “in development.”
Apple Falling Behind in the AI Race
Apple’s slow progress in AI contrasts sharply with competitors like Google and OpenAI, which continue to push the boundaries of generative AI. Google recently unveiled Gemini 2.0, intensifying the race for AI supremacy. Meanwhile, Apple’s struggles with Siri could also delay upcoming iOS 19 features, further highlighting its challenges in software development.
While Apple remains tight-lipped on an exact release date, the company faces increasing pressure to prove that Siri’s future won’t mirror the ill-fated AirPower project. Until then, Apple risks falling further behind in the AI race.
