Apple Sets New 2026 Target for Delayed Siri Features

Apple's major AI-powered Siri upgrade now has an internal release target of spring 2026. According to a new report from Bloomberg, the company is aiming to deliver the revamped voice assistant as part of an iOS 26.4 software update. The long-promised changes will allow Siri to tap into consumers' personal data and on-screen activities to better fulfill queries.

The company's ".4" software updates, internally codenamed "E" by Apple, are typically released in March. The timeline could still shift, but if development goes smoothly over the coming weeks, Apple may preview the new features alongside the next iPhone launch this fall, according to the report. Apple, in response to a request for comment, reiterated that it hasn't announced specific timing for the new Siri features but confirmed they are planned for the "coming year."

The upgrade, first showcased at WWDC 2024 and promoted as a key feature of the iPhone 16, has been a long time coming. The original target was fall 2024, which then slipped to spring 2025 before being postponed indefinitely in March. The delay reportedly created internal friction, with engineering blaming marketing for overpromising, while marketing said it was following timelines from the AI team. In a post-WWDC interview this week, software chief Craig Federighi shed light on the technical issues, explaining that the team had to abandon its initial "V1 architecture" after finding it wouldn't meet Apple's quality standards. He confirmed the team pivoted to a more robust "V2 architecture," which caused the delay.


The issues have prompted a significant leadership shake-up. Vision Pro creator Mike Rockwell and software chief Craig Federighi have taken charge of Siri's engineering, with Rockwell now leading work on "Siri LLM," the internal name for the rebuilt system. John Giannandrea, Apple's senior vice president of AI, was stripped of oversight for Siri and the company's robotics unit. While Giannandrea has reportedly become less influential internally, he continues to oversee the development of large language models. He also kept a notably lower profile at this year's WWDC, a sharp contrast from his prominent presence in 2024.

The delays have already had repercussions. A planned smart home hub—a screen-based device for walls or desks whose operating system relies on the new Siri—was pushed back from its initial March release date. The larger concern is how Apple's AI struggles will affect future hardware. The company reportedly wants to launch AI-enhanced smart glasses next year, but as of now, it still relies on OpenAI and Google for image analysis.

Further in the future, Apple has an even more ambitious Siri revamp in the works to create a more conversational, always-on copilot. The company also has a team, led by former Siri head Robby Walker, exploring a chatbot-like app dubbed "Knowledge" that can tap into the open web. However, concerns have been raised internally about whether that team is up to the challenge.

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