Apple's highly anticipated revamp of Siri, powered by Apple Intelligence, has faced a more protracted development cycle than initially hoped. First unveiled at WWDC in June 2024 alongside iOS 18, the enhanced Siri features, promising a deeper understanding of user context, onscreen awareness, and enhanced app integration, were initially slated for a later iOS 18 update.
However, as 2024 progressed, it became clear that the ambitious scope of Apple Intelligence required more refinement. Now, Apple plans to release its delayed Apple Intelligence Siri features this fall, according to a new report by The New York Times.
The company officially acknowledged a delay in a statement to Daring Fireball, stating that the features would roll out "in the coming year."
Apple spokeswoman Jacqueline Roy said the following:
"Siri helps our users find what they need and get things done quickly, and in just the past six months, we've made Siri more conversational, introduced new features like type to Siri and product knowledge, and added an integration with ChatGPT. We've also been working on a more personalized Siri, giving it more awareness of your personal context, as well as the ability to take action for you within and across your apps. It's going to take us longer than we thought to deliver on these features and we anticipate rolling them out in the coming year."
Reports from outlets like Reuters even indicated a possible push into 2026. This delay stemmed from the complexities of ensuring the reliability and accuracy of features that delve deeply into users' personal data, as highlighted by internal reports of the technology working inconsistently.
Despite the earlier uncertainties, the prevailing expectation as of April 2025 is that the enhanced Siri capabilities, as part of the broader Apple Intelligence suite, will debut with the release of iOS 19 this fall. This aligns with Apple's typical release cycle for major iOS updates and provides the necessary time for further development and rigorous testing.
What we can expect
The core functionalities of this revamped Siri include:
Personal Context: Siri will learn from your emails, messages, files, photos, and more to provide more relevant and proactive assistance. Examples demonstrated include finding specific files or emails from contacts, recalling recommendations, and even accessing personal information like passport numbers.
Onscreen Awareness: Siri will be able to understand the content displayed on your screen, allowing for intuitive actions like adding an address from a text message to a contact or sending a currently viewed photo.
Deeper App Integration: Siri will handle more complex, cross-app tasks, such as moving files between applications, editing and sending photos directly via voice, getting directions and sharing ETAs with contacts, and sending draft emails.
An orchard of obstacles
It's worth noting that the development journey hasn't been without its challenges.
Apple previously showcased these features extensively, even featuring them in marketing materials that were subsequently pulled back. This led to some user frustration and even legal action.
Apple has been transparent about the ongoing development, adding disclaimers to iPhone 16 product pages and the Apple Intelligence overview, stating that these Siri features "are in development and will be available with a future software update."
Tim Cook has emphasized that the company stresses privacy first. Apple’s AI philosophy revolves around a core principle: privacy as a fundamental human right.
Unlike competitors that leverage massive cloud-based datasets for AI processing, Apple prioritizes on-device machine learning wherever possible. This ensures that user data remains secure and is processed locally on devices such as iPhones, iPads, and Macs.
Looking ahead to Fall '25
The Apple Intelligence features, including the enhanced Siri, are expected to be exclusive to newer iPhone models with the necessary processing power, specifically the iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, the iPhone 16 series (released in fall 2024), and the upcoming iPhone 17 series, anticipated this fall.
While the exact release date within the fall timeframe is yet to be officially announced as of April 2025, the momentum suggests that iPhone users can look forward to a significantly more intelligent and integrated Siri experience with the arrival of iOS 19.
More from Tom's Guide
- OpenAI just gave ChatGPT a much better memory — here's what it means for you
- I tested ChatGPT-4.5 vs. Gemini Pro 2.5 with 5 prompts — and one crushed the other
- I ditched Google for this AI upgrade — it's changing the search game
You must confirm your public display name before commenting
Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.
