Apple Delays Revamped Siri Again, Next-Gen AI Assistant May Slip to iOS 27

Apple has reportedly delayed the launch of its long-awaited revamped Siri once again, raising fresh questions about the company’s AI rollout strategy. According to a Bloomberg report, Apple’s virtual assistant has encountered multiple technical issues during recent internal testing, potentially pushing several high-profile Siri features beyond iOS 26.5 and even into iOS 27.

The company was initially expected to debut the new Siri capabilities with iOS 26.4. However, the report suggests that Apple’s internal plans have shifted, with engineers now testing the upgraded assistant on iOS 26.5, which is expected to release in May. The delay could stretch further, with a broader rollout now likely aligned with iOS 27, typically scheduled for September.

Internal Testing Signals Cautious Rollout

Bloomberg notes that early internal builds of iOS 26.5 include a new settings option allowing employees to activate a “preview” mode for the enhanced Siri features. This suggests Apple may opt for a limited or early-access release, signalling to users that the functionality may still be incomplete or prone to performance inconsistencies — a strategy Apple has previously used with beta and experimental software.

Revamped Siri Hiatus: What’s Causing the Delay

Apple first unveiled its vision for a more powerful Siri at WWDC in June 2024, showcasing an assistant capable of accessing personal data, interpreting on-screen content, and delivering more context-aware responses. While Apple later confirmed the upgraded Siri would arrive in 2026, it did not publicly share a precise timeline.

According to Bloomberg, Apple had internally targeted March 2026, aligning the rollout with iOS 26.4 — a plan that reportedly remained intact until last month. However, new issues uncovered during testing appear to have forced the company to reassess.

The report claims that the assistant has struggled with reliably interpreting user queries and, in some cases, has shown slower response times than expected. These challenges have reportedly contributed to the latest postponement. Bloomberg adds that the situation remains fluid, and Apple’s plans could change again.

Revamped Siri: What to Expect

Apple–Google Partnership and AI Foundation Models

In a joint announcement last month, Apple and Google revealed a long-term partnership under which Apple’s next-generation foundation models will be built using Google’s Gemini models and cloud infrastructure. This collaboration is expected to power upcoming Apple Intelligence features, including a more personalised and capable Siri.

The revamped Siri is widely expected to introduce significant upgrades that move it closer to a modern AI assistant experience.

Siri as a Chatbot

According to Bloomberg, Apple is working on an internal initiative codenamed “Campos” to transform Siri into a full-fledged AI chatbot. Unlike the current version, which focuses on short responses and command-based tasks, the upgraded assistant is expected to support extended conversations, complex queries, and both voice and text-based interactions.

This chatbot-style Siri could eventually replace the existing interface across Apple devices, bringing Apple closer to rivals like Gemini and ChatGPT in conversational AI.

Personal Context Understanding

One of the most anticipated features of the revamped Siri is deeper personal context awareness. The assistant is expected to understand and retrieve information from emails, messages, photos, calendar events, and locally stored files.

Apple has previously demonstrated scenarios in which Siri could surface specific details — such as pulling a licence number from an image or identifying recommendations shared within message threads — without requiring manual searches.

On-Screen Awareness

Another major upgrade involves on-screen awareness, allowing Siri to recognise and act on content currently visible on a device’s display. Users may be able to issue contextual commands such as saving an address from a message, setting reminders based on emails, or interacting with app content more intelligently.

In-App Actions Without Opening Apps

Apple has also showcased Siri’s ability to perform actions within applications without requiring users to open them manually. Demonstrations have included finding images, editing them, and saving files to specific folders entirely through voice commands — a feature that could significantly streamline everyday workflows.

Why the Delay Matters

The repeated postponement of Siri’s revamp highlights the broader challenges Apple faces as it races to match the rapid pace of AI development set by competitors. While Apple continues to prioritise privacy, on-device intelligence, and ecosystem-wide integration, the delay suggests that delivering a reliable, large-scale AI assistant remains a complex undertaking.

If the rollout does slip to iOS 27, Apple could position the revamped Siri as a more polished and stable experience — albeit later than originally anticipated.