Confirmation that the new Siri It will not debut with iOS 26.4 This news has come as a complete shock to iPhone users. After nearly two years of promises, demos, and advertisements, the big leap forward for Apple's assistant has been postponed once again, leaving many with the feeling that the Apple Intelligence revolution has yet to truly take off.
The various leaks, analyst reports, and internal company movements paint a clear picture: Apple is breaking up the rollout of the new Siridelaying the most ambitious features until iOS 26.5 and, above all, until iOS 27, scheduled for September 2026. The stated goal is to avoid a failed launch, but the cost in trust and expectations is beginning to be evident in Europe and Spain as well.
An assistant promised since 2024 that never seems to arrive
When Apple introduced Apple Intelligence and the new Siri at WWDC 2024The message was clear: the assistant was going to stop being a simple voice control and become a kind of "personal copilot" capable of understanding context, remembering information, and acting within apps like a modern chatbot.
At that time, there was talk of a premiere within the iOS 18 cyclewith a significant portion of AI functions arriving that same year and the rest throughout 2025. However, The deadlines have been shifting time and time again: first to the end of 2025, then to 2026 and, more specifically, to a key system update: iOS 26.4, scheduled for March 2026.
Publicly, Apple never set a specific date, something the company usually does to protect itself. But Internally, they were working with March 2026. as a real objective, according to sources close to the development. That goal, it's clear, will no longer be achieved.
In Spain and the rest of Europe, where Siri has been perceived as less capable for years. than Google Assistant or Alexa Both in terms of local languages and features, this back-and-forth of release dates is particularly frustrating. Many users upgraded to the iPhone 16 and 17 precisely because of Apple Intelligence's promises, which have yet to materialize.
From iOS 26.4 to iOS 27: a calendar that scrolls
The latest reports leaked by sources such as Mark Gurman (Bloomberg) They point to a fairly clear change in the roadmap: some of the new Siri features that were going to arrive with iOS 26.4 are now being moved to iOS 26.5 and, above all, to iOS 27. We are talking about a delay of several months in a project that was already very tight on deadlines.
According to that information, iOS 26.4 will remain a more modest update, with partial improvements aimed at preparing the ground: a somewhat more conversational Siri, adjustments to the interface, writing functions to Siri and expansion of some Apple Intelligence capabilities (summaries, text rewriting, intelligent notification management) to more regions.
Will be on iOS 26.5, expected in Maywhere some of the advanced features currently being tested internally could be activated: expanded access to personal data, new chained commands within apps, and a first taste of Siri's integration with more powerful AI models through a "preview" system.
The bulk of the change, however, is reserved for iOS 27, expected in September 2026This coincides with the next generation of iPhones. It is in this version that Apple aims to unleash the full chatbot experience: a redesigned Siri, with a revamped interface and behavior much closer to ChatGPT or Gemini, supported by high-performance servers and a completely new internal architecture.
This implies that The star features are going almost two years beyond what was initially announcedWhat was presented as imminent in 2024 with iOS 18 will, at best, be fully activated from iOS 27 onwards, with a significant portion of European users seeing the real leap at the end of 2026.
Which features are left out… for now
The delay doesn't affect mere cosmetic tweaks, but rather the core of Apple's promise of Intelligence applied to Siri. Leaks regarding the internal roadmap point to three key blocks of capabilities that They won't arrive in time for iOS 26.4 and that will be displaced in later phases.
The first block are truly personalized responses with long-term memoryThat is, a Siri capable of remembering instructions related to a person, a trip, or a project ("organize everything for the trip to Berlin with Marta," "remind me every Friday to review the business invoices") and using that information weeks later without the user having to repeat it.
Secondly, the deep awareness of contextThis feature would allow Siri to understand what's on the screen at any given moment to continue a conversation. The idea was that the assistant could read what appears in apps like Mail, Messages, Calendar, or even third-party applications to respond accurately and suggest actions without the user having to explain the entire context again.
The third block affects the Advanced integration with apps and on-screen contentThis is what Apple internally describes as App Intent-based automation. In practice, this means asking Siri to find a photo, edit it, attach it to an email and send it, or to book a ticket and fill out a form using data from emails and documents, all linked in a single command.
The intelligent data extraction from documents and photos to fill out forms or answer complex queries using information distributed via emails, notes, and messages. This capability, which was meant to bring Siri closer to the leading conversational models on the market, is what would truly justify the concept of a digital personal assistant.
Technical problems: slowness, errors, and a new architecture
Behind these schedule changes are some very specific technical reasons. In internal testing, The new Siri has shown slow response times, failures in understanding certain queries and difficulties in combining the old assistant engine with the new generative layer based on large language models.
Employees testing preview versions of iOS 26.5 describe erratic behavior: some complex requests work correctly, but Others return inaccurate answers or cause Siri to cut off the user. If you speak too quickly. In queries that require more processing, the system sometimes freezes or takes too long, which is unacceptable in a mass-market product.
Another obstacle is that The new Siri is based on a completely new architecture.Internally known as Linwood, it is based on Apple Foundation Models, the family of language models developed by the company. External technologies have been integrated onto this foundation, further complicating its stability.
Added to this is unexpected behavior: in certain tests, Siri leverages its existing integration with ChatGPT Apple is using OpenAI instead of its own technology, even though in theory it should be able to resolve the query itself. This kind of inconsistency makes it very difficult to guarantee a consistent experience for millions of users.
In Cupertino, there are also fears of an undesirable scenario: a major media launch of Siri 2.0 that ends in server crashes, errors with personal data, or clearly erroneous answers that end up in headlines. Given this risk, the decision has been to slow down again and roll out the new features in several phases.even if that means generating another headline about delays.
The alliance with Google Gemini: from Anthropic to a time-bound agreement
One of the most significant turns in this story occurred when Apple decided to rely on external models to boost the new SiriInitially, the plan was to use only proprietary technology; later, an agreement with Anthropic (creators of Claude) was explored, and finally, Google and its Gemini family of models were chosen.
For much of 2025, Apple seriously evaluated to make Claude the engine of the most advanced part of SiriThe company already used these models internally for development tools and engineer support, which facilitated their adoption. But the financial terms Anthropic set—with demands for several billion dollars a year and automatic price increases—ultimately scuttled the negotiations.
In that context, Google entered the scene. Apple has been paying a huge sum for years to maintain Google as the default search engine in SafariAnd leveraging that existing relationship to add Gemini to the equation was, financially, more viable than starting a new large-scale contract with another provider.
Talks with Google reportedly accelerated in the second half of 2025, with an agreement officially announced in early 2026That leaves a margin of just three or four months between deciding to rely on Gemini and the supposed arrival of the new Siri in iOS 26.4. A very short timeframe for such a delicate integration.
Integrating Gemini is not simply "plugging in" an API. Apple requires these models to operate under its own privacy rules.on servers controlled through its Private Cloud Computing infrastructure, and in compliance with regulations such as the European GDPR. This involves adapting protocols, data flows, and security systems so that no piece of personal information is used beyond the specific response to the user.
Given this scenario, it is understandable that the company has concluded that iOS 26.4 was running out of time for a clean and reliable integration, and that it was reasonable to move a good part of the effort to iOS 26.5 and the full iOS 27 cycle.
Privacy and European regulation: the invisible brake
In addition to the technical challenges, there is a particularly sensitive factor in Europe: the privacy of personal dataThe new Siri aims to read emails, messages, photos of documents, and on-screen content to provide advanced responses and automations—precisely the kind of functions that most concern regulators.
Apple insists that Most of the processing will be done on the device itself.And that when it becomes necessary to use the cloud, servers with advanced cryptographic measures will be used, where data is not stored persistently. The Baltra project, focused on new chips for AI data centers, is precisely in line with this approach.
In internal meetings, executives such as Craig Federighi has repeatedly stated that personalized AI cannot expose user data.The company boasts of using licensed information and synthetic data in training its models, avoiding training directly with conversations or private customer files.
In an environment where the European Union closely monitors any movement related to personal data, A misstep on this boundary between utility and privacy would be devastating.Not only because of the potential sanctions, but also because of the effect on the brand's reputation in key markets like Spain, where Apple has based much of its discourse precisely on the protection of privacy.
That context explains why, when in doubt, the company prefers to assume another headline about delays This risks controversy over leaks, data misuse, or unauthorized access by the assistant. It's a conservative approach that has worked well in other areas, but in the field of AI, it's causing them to fall behind faster-moving rivals.
The new Siri as a chatbot: what iOS 27 is preparing
Beyond the timeline, the trial versions of the new systems point to a significant change in concept: Siri will begin to behave more like an AI chatbot than the traditional voice assistant we've known for over a decade.
Under the codename “Field”, Apple is testing a revamped Siri interface with a chat-like feelIt's capable of maintaining a conversation history, retrieving previous requests, and allowing the user to review and manage their past inquiries. Simultaneously, a standalone Siri application is being developed to access this history and provide better control over the user experience.
The goal is for this next-generation Siri control functions of the entire operating system and be able to locate files, emails, and events without the user having to navigate through multiple menus. Mail, Calendar, and Safari would be some of the apps that would benefit most from this revamped engine, with contextual suggestions and chained actions that simply don't exist today.
Part of this intelligence will reside in the iPhone or iPad itself, thanks to the latest hardware, and another part will rely on servers equipped with custom Gemini modelsThis local-cloud combination is what Apple considers essential to offer a powerful experience without compromising its privacy message.
In Europe, where regulations are stricter, it is likely that Some features will be activated later or with additional limitationsat least in the first few months. The company has already had to adjust previous deployments of generative AI features to comply with EU regulations, and doesn't seem willing to take that risk with a product as visible as Siri.
What we will see in iOS 26.4 while we wait for the big change
Even if the major Siri update is delayed, iOS 26.4 won't be a hollow update. Apple maintains a package of more subtle but relevant improvements which will be arriving in all compatible markets, including Spain, and which will serve as a prelude to the great renewal.
Among those new features is a Siri that feels a bit more natural in conversationsIt will be better able to understand colloquial phrases and string together related questions without disrupting the flow of conversation. The "Type to Siri" mode will also gain prominence, designed for those who prefer to interact via text or cannot use voice in certain environments.
The update will expand to more countries. Apple Intelligence tools for writing and productivityEmail rewriting and summarization, long notification summaries, and some simple content generation functions within apps like Notes or Mail. All of this is supported, when authorized by the user, by external models like ChatGPT for longer or more creative responses.
However, That Siri 2.0 capable of maintaining long conversations, remembering context from weeks ago, and moving information between apps is not yet here. as a human assistant would. For several months, the feeling will be that of a “Siri 1.5”: better than the current one, but far from the demonstrations Apple showed in 2024.
This incremental approach has an obvious risk: The more the daily experience resembles the old SiriThe greater the perception, the greater the feeling that the great revolution promised never arrives, especially among those who have already updated their devices expecting drastic changes.
Impact on users, market, and developers
While the postponements keep piling up, Users are stuck in a limbo of promises and small improvementsSince the announcement of Apple Intelligence, the new Siri has been used as a selling point in marketing campaigns for the latest iPhones, with scenes in which the assistant reorganizes trips, finds hidden information in emails, or coordinates plans with contacts. A significant portion of these scenes remain aspirational.
The everyday reality is more modest: small improvements in fluidity, integration with third-party services like ChatGPT, and extra options for composing messages. The qualitative leap expected from a truly intelligent assistant has not yet arrivedAnd the feeling of "we have been deceived" is beginning to appear in some sectors of the technology community.
The impact has also been felt in the financial markets. Some reports about the new delays caused occasional drops in Apple's stock priceAlthough of little intensity. Specialized analysts point out that investor expectations regarding Apple's potential in AI remain relatively low, which mitigates the negative effects of each postponement.
For the development ecosystem, the situation is more delicate. Thousands of programmers had been planning for months. new experiences supported by Siri's advanced APIs Apple had begun to detail: complex automations, chained actions, secure access to personal data under user control. Each delay forces a rethinking of roadmaps and, in many cases, a look to other, more mature AI providers.
The practical consequence is that many iOS apps and even business services in Europe They are opting to directly integrate APIs from models like Gemini or ChatGPT, instead of waiting for the official bridge with Siri to actually be available. This is an understandable move that, in the medium term, could diminish the prominence of Apple's assistant within its own ecosystem.
Meanwhile, fund managers and analysts point out that Apple is investing less in AI data centers than other giants Like Amazon, Meta, or Alphabet, this reinforces the perception that the company is proceeding more cautiously in this race. Its strategy involves a hybrid model: significant on-device local processing, selective external partnerships, and tight data control, at the cost of slower growth.
A change of mindset in Cupertino or simply prudence?
The way Apple is handling the new Siri reflects a clash between their traditional culture of “polished” pitches And the reality of an AI market that moves through rapid iterations. While OpenAI, Google, and Microsoft release successive versions of their assistants every few months, Apple seems determined to arrive with a more finished product, even if it's late.
Executives like Craig Federighi have acknowledged that the first versions of the new Siri did not meet the required level of reliability.The phrase that is repeated internally — “it’s going to take us longer than we thought” — has become a kind of mantra that recalls past episodes such as the failed AirPower charger or the initial launch of Apple Maps, although in this case the delay is much longer.
The European context adds pressure: The regulation requires us to be much more careful with any feature that touches sensitive data, and the company can't afford a scandal in this area. Even so, the comparison with how quickly Android adopted Gemini features puts Apple at a clear perception disadvantage, especially among more advanced users and professionals.
Inside and outside of Spain, the idea is beginning to spread that Apple is late to the grand narrative of conversational AIEven if it finally manages to launch a competitive Siri in 2026, the big question is whether the extra effort in quality, stability, and privacy will be enough to recover lost ground against assistants that have been learning from millions of users for years.
Given the current situation, everything points to the fact that The new Siri will not appear in iOS 26.4 Despite the expectations and leaks that placed it in that version, Apple is reserving several possible windows within 2026—iOS 26.5 and, above all, iOS 27—to progressively enable the most ambitious features supported by Gemini, prioritizing not repeating past mistakes even if it means further prolonging the wait for European users who have long been asking for an assistant that can compete with the competition.
