Apple Sets Sights on iOS 26.4 for Much-Awaited Siri AI Upgrade: What You Need to Know

This morning, Greg “Joz” Joswiak from Apple shared some news about Siri. The big update we’ve been waiting for is now set to arrive in 2026. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman is giving us the juicy details on what’s behind this delay.

According to Gurman’s report, Apple expects to launch the updated Siri with the iOS 26.4 update, which usually comes out in March. This new Siri will be smarter and able to understand context better, letting it handle more complex tasks like following conversations over multiple steps.

Apple hasn’t confirmed any specific dates. They say Siri will be out “in the coming year,” which leaves room for interpretation. Some think it could hint at 2025, while others believe it’s definitely a 2026 release.

This project has faced several setbacks. Originally, they aimed for a rollout in fall 2024, but each timeline has slipped further. The current target is spring 2026. These delays reportedly come from engineering challenges, particularly with a mix of old and new technology that hasn’t been working reliably.

The struggles have led to some shake-ups at Apple. John Giannandrea, who was in charge of AI, has been pulled from Siri projects due to internal disputes over missed deadlines. Now, Craig Federighi and Mike Rockwell are leading the effort, working on a system rebuild called “Siri LLM.”

During WWDC 2025, Federighi addressed the Siri delays, admitting that more time is needed to ensure top quality. However, there was no demo or major update on Siri at the event, as Apple focused on launching new developer tools instead.

Looking ahead, Gurman hints at a more advanced version of Siri, which could act as a real-time digital copilot. This means an even more interactive experience, potentially helping users in ways we haven’t seen yet. Apple is also exploring a chatbot-like app called Knowledge that would pull information from the web.

What does this all mean for users? Well, if you’re hoping for Siri to become your personal assistant, the next couple of years will be crucial. Mark your calendars for March 2026, but let’s stay flexible in case the timeline shifts again.

In the fast-changing world of AI, this effort reflects a broader trend. According to a recent survey by Gartner, 73% of organizations believe AI will be fundamental to their business strategies in the next few years. This shows just how important updates like Siri are, not just for Apple but for the tech industry as a whole.

For more insights on tech developments, you can check out Bloomberg’s full report.

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