Apple has officially delayed its highly anticipated Siri AI enhancements, postponing key features first announced at WWDC 2024. Initially expected to arrive with iOS 18.4 in April, these updates—designed to make Siri more intelligent and conversational—are now pushed back to 2025 or later due to persistent software issues. This setback raises concerns about Apple’s AI progress, especially as competitors like Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant continue advancing.
- Also Read: Apple’s Smart Home Hub Delayed Due to Siri Issues – Giving Amazon Alexa a Competitive Edge
Why Apple Delayed Siri’s AI Upgrades
According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple’s planned Siri enhancements—including better personalized responses, in-app control, and improved AI-driven interactions—have been delayed due to ongoing software bugs and performance issues. Apple engineers have reportedly struggled to fix critical issues, leading to concerns that a complete Siri AI rebuild may be necessary, which could delay its release to iOS 19 in 2026.
Internal Challenges with Siri AI Development
Sources inside Apple’s AI division indicate that software chief Craig Federighi and other executives have expressed frustration with Siri’s poor performance during internal testing. The delayed features were meant to make Siri more conversational and context-aware, aligning it with AI-powered assistants like ChatGPT. However, ongoing setbacks have forced Apple to rethink its AI strategy.
Despite previous reports suggesting Siri’s enhanced AI would arrive in iOS 18.5 in May, the latest updates confirm that these features won’t launch with iOS 18.6 either. Instead, Apple is shifting its focus to integrating Apple Intelligence across more apps, delaying any major AI breakthroughs to 2025 and beyond.
Apple’s AI Struggles Compared to Competitors
The delay puts Apple at a disadvantage in the AI race. While Apple grapples with Siri’s AI evolution, competitors like Amazon’s Alexa+ and Google’s Gemini AI are advancing rapidly. Apple originally planned to introduce a ChatGPT-style Siri, capable of handling complex queries and performing advanced in-app tasks, but these ambitions are now stalled.
John Gruber of Daring Fireball confirmed the delay, quoting Apple spokesperson Jacqueline Roy, who stated:
“Delivering a more personalized Siri with deeper context awareness and app interactions will take longer than expected. We anticipate rolling these features out next year.”
This means that Apple’s major AI-powered Siri upgrade is now tied to the iOS 19 and macOS 16 cycle, expected to launch at WWDC 2025.
Siri’s AI Upgrade Now Expected in iOS 19 and macOS 16
Gruber further explained that Apple’s “App Intents” framework—designed to enable Siri to access personal app data—was completely absent from iOS 18.4 betas and will not appear in iOS 18.5 or iOS 18.6 either. This means that Apple users will have to wait until at least 2025 for the next-gen Siri.
While Apple has made minor Siri improvements in iOS 18 and macOS 15 Sequoia, the much-anticipated AI transformation remains on hold.
What’s Next for Apple’s AI Strategy?
Apple previously positioned itself as a leader in AI-driven personal assistants, but these repeated delays highlight the challenges of staying competitive in a fast-moving industry. As AI continues to evolve, Apple must ensure that Siri’s enhancements are both reliable and cutting-edge to compete with Amazon, Google, and OpenAI.
While Apple has not provided a concrete release date for the upgraded Siri, the company is focused on refining its AI capabilities. The goal is to deliver a smarter, more personalized Siri experience, even if it means users will have to wait until 2025 or 2026.
Stay tuned for further updates as Apple continues to fine-tune its AI-powered Siri assistant.