Apple’s AI Siri Launch Expected Next Year—Is It Worth Waiting For?

Apple has addressed the elephant in the room: a smarter Siri — the version with Apple Intelligence deeply integrated into it — is coming no sooner than 2026. That is a significant delay to Apple’s catch-up plan as Apple Intelligence lags behind Google, Meta, Microsoft, and OpenAI. It is also a major disappointment to Apple users awaiting an AI-infused Siri.

While Apple has previously vaguely mentioned “the coming year” for questions on the next-generation Siri’s debut, the latest interview of Craig Federighi and Greg Joswiak — Apple’s senior vice presidents of software engineering and worldwide marketing — confirmed the 2026 timeline.

Straight from the horse’s mouth

Speaking with Tom’s Guide’s Mark Spoonauer, both executives addressed concerns about a delayed Siri, but they dodged his questions on a specific release timeline. So Spoonauer reframed the question: “So instead of an actual release date, is it okay to say 2026?” Joswiak replied: “Yeah, that’s what we said, yeah.” That is the first time Apple has not been ambiguous, but it did not clarify a specific timeline.

That is what Bloomberg has done. According to Mark Gurman, the rollout may take place in the spring of 2026 as part of the iOS 26.4 update. The changes in Siri may include contextual awareness and the ability to read the screen and perform actions. However, if Apple encounters technical issues or glitches while implementing these changes to Siri, the launch timeline may be affected, causing a further delay. The “.4” updates are usually deployed in March, so the next-generation Siri might arrive in less than a year if all goes well.

Should you wait?

Whether you want to wait for the next Siri depends on what you want from your phone. If you have one of the Apple Intelligence-supported iPhones, like the iPhone 16, waiting is the only option for you. But if you have been planning an upgrade from, say, an iPhone 13, you can choose between spending more to buy an iPhone 16 or the upcoming iPhone 17 or going with an older device, like the iPhone 15, for at least ₹10,000 less.
 

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