The launch date for Apple’s AI-enhanced Siri remains uncertain, and recent reports from trusted sources suggest that it may not arrive anytime soon. This delay might actually be beneficial for both Apple and its users.

The rollout of Apple Intelligence began in October, but the company has yet to introduce chatbot capabilities comparable to Google’s Gemini. According to a recent report by Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, iOS 19, set to debut at WWDC 2025, may introduce the new Siri, but the software is not expected to launch until spring 2026, possibly as part of iOS 19.4. Gurman’s predictions are often reliable, given his access to internal and external sources.

Siri’s conversational capabilities are expected to be similar to Google’s Gemini Live, dubbed “LLM Siri” in recent reports. However, this feature is still months away. In contrast, Google has just introduced new capabilities that enable its AI to respond to users’ video and screen content in real-time.

Do Users Really Care About an Apple Intelligence Delay?

Although Apple could surprise us, the company faces the challenge of integrating its aging Siri architecture with modern AI software, which is proving to be difficult, according to Gurman. The true, conversational Siri may not be available until 2027, and iOS 19 may not include significant changes to Apple’s AI. This might seem like Apple is lagging behind, but it could be an opportunity for the company to focus on creating a phone that doesn’t rely on energy-hungry AI.

The last few iOS updates have enabled Apple Intelligence for all iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 users, consuming increasing amounts of storage on users’ devices. Despite this, a recent survey found that few Apple buyers are purchasing the company’s latest iPhones for the sake of Apple Intelligence. Perhaps Apple will consider enabling other AI models on its platform, rather than just ChatGPT. Recent code leaks suggest that Apple might even allow Gemini onto iPhones by default, although this would likely be limited, similar to OpenAI’s integration with Siri.

These rumors emerge less than a week after Amazon debuted its Alexa+ platform, which uses multiple AI models integrated onto its Echo Show products with a new, AI-enhanced UI. This allows users to order products, set up smart home routines, search for music or movie content, and view connected security cameras using conversational language. Although the demo was impressive, it took place in a closed ecosystem, and the capabilities have yet to be seen outside an Amazon event.

Alexa+ may be useful for those with Amazon-filled homes, especially for those who don’t mind the significant privacy implications of Amazon software. Amazon will rely on a website and app to keep users connected to their smart home AI. In contrast, Apple only needs to integrate its AI into iPhones, MacBooks, and other devices like the Vision Pro to encourage usage. However, Apple faces the challenge of making users care about a chatbot that can create calendar events from emails.

Every major tech company has promised some form of AI-enabled assistant, but the software’s usability has fallen short of expectations. Google’s Gemini on the latest Android phones, such as the Samsung Galaxy S25, can access emails and perform cross-app tasks, but not in a way that significantly changes how you use your phone. Apple’s AI features include its creepy Image Playground, pointless AI emojis, and humorous notification summaries. The company removed those summaries with the latest iOS beta.

I would prefer my iPhone to improve over time in significant ways that don’t rely solely on AI enhancements. I may not need a thinner iPhone, like the rumored iPhone 17 Air, but I’m sure I and others would appreciate a better refresh rate on base iPhone models. One issue is price; the iPhone 16e, built for Apple Intelligence, starts at $600, which is not as budget-friendly as the last-gen iPhone SE. Justifying price increases will become more challenging if we don’t see real AI capabilities for months or even years.