The new Siri was initially planned for release with iOS 18.4 last year but was delayed, with Apple acknowledging it needs more time to meet quality standards.

Despite setbacks, Apple has about six months to resolve Siri's issues before the public release of iOS 26.4, and the success of Siri could impact Apple's competitive stance in AI.

Apple previewed the new Siri at WWDC 2024, highlighting features like on-screen awareness, personal context, and cross-app controls designed to make it more intuitive and hands-free.

The development of the upgraded Siri has faced significant delays, with features like personal context and on-screen awareness not yet delivered, despite initial expectations over a year ago.

Apple has relied heavily on ChatGPT for AI capabilities but is exploring partnerships with Google for Gemini AI and considering other external AI technologies due to its own models lagging behind competitors.

Apple's AI leadership has experienced internal shifts, with key figures like John Giannandrea seeing responsibilities reduced, while executives such as Craig Federighi and Mike Rockwell take on larger roles amid internal pressure.

Recent departures of key AI executives and the loss of talent to competitors like Meta reflect internal struggles and setbacks in AI development at Apple.

Apple is exploring two strategies for the Siri revamp: one using on-device models and another leveraging Google's Gemini in the cloud, but it's unclear which approach is currently in use.

Apple is internally concerned about the development and performance of its revamped Siri, which is expected to launch with iOS 26.4 in spring 2026 after delays.

Despite efforts to improve Siri, including restructuring teams and exploring new protocols, the AI's performance remains challenged by competition from startups and reliance on third-party models.

Apple continues to face difficulties in attracting AI talent and improving Siri's performance, even as it experiments with proprietary models and new technologies.

The anticipated release of the new Siri is set for spring 2026, aligning with other Apple hardware updates, and the company remains committed to AI improvements despite ongoing challenges.