Amidst its financial results and interviews with international media, Apple has once again placed Siri at the center of its artificial intelligence roadmapTim Cook has reiterated that the revamped version of the assistant, powered by generative AI and greater context awareness, is planned for 2026.
After its initial presentation at WWDC 2024 and a delay that caught many off guard, the plans have been readjusted: The company is working towards a premiere at the beginning of the year. and aims for a more natural, conversational, and useful experience in everyday life. Spain and the rest of Europe, Availability is expected within the same window., pending official details by territory.
What has Apple confirmed and what is the launch window?
Cook told CNBC and Reuters that development is "progressing well." And that the new AI-powered Siri will arrive next year. Although there's no exact date, internal leaks place the rollout around March or April, linked to a major iOS update (rumored to be iOS 26.4).
The tech company insists on its usual approach: Release when the product reaches the quality standardThis means that features could be activated gradually and that some new features will be refined with successive system updates.
For iPhone users in Europe, the message is clear: Apple anticipates a global launch Subject to certification times and software logistics, without committing to a date by region at this time.
This renewed push comes at a favorable time for the company, which has announced record profits and promises to accelerate its commitment to the AI across its entire ecosystem of products and services.
Key features of the new Siri
Apple's proposal rests on three pillars: Personalized responses, on-screen recognition, and integrated controls within applications. The idea is for Siri to better understand the user's context and act with less friction.
El on-screen recognition It will allow Siri to interpret what you're seeing and act accordingly: save a newly received address to a contact, start a route, or complete actions without switching applications.
La Deep integration with apps This opens the door to commands like “take a picture and send it via WhatsApp,” or more advanced combinations with third-party services. The goal is for Siri to be a true task orchestrator, not just a simple app launcher. shortcuts.
In addition, Apple promises a more natural and expressive conversation, capable of maintaining context between questions and tolerating speech errors, with a visual redesign of the assistant to make it clearer and more direct.
Delays, schedule and the impact on users
The new Siri was first shown at the WWDC 2024But Apple decided to postpone its launch after testing different technical approaches. The company maintained that the initial version It did not meet their quality standard and that it was preferable to consolidate a more mature architecture.
During this time, some members of the community have expressed their frustration and some have even filed complaints. class action lawsuits due to the delay of announced features. Apple, for its part, frames the schedule as a phased rollout that prioritizes stability, accuracy, and privacy.
With Cook's new statements, the scenario is once again set for 2026. Leaks suggest a spring startAnd, although Apple does not rule out activating some capabilities gradually, the leap in quality of the assistant is the focus of the launch.
Despite rumors that placed the arrival date further down the line, management has now set a defined route for 2026. with possible additional improvements later as development evolves.
Third-party models and new alliances at Apple Intelligence
The company already integrates OpenAI ChatGPT as support when the assistant needs additional knowledge, and Cook has left the door open to adding more options: Gemini (Google), Anthropic or Perplexity They are on the table to expand capabilities.
The official line is clear:We will integrate with more people over time“,” in the CEO’s words. Along with that, Apple does not rule out fusions and acquisitions in AI to accelerate its roadmap within Apple Intelligence.
All of this will coexist with the brand's privacy approach: on-device processing whenever possible, and cloud resources under Apple-controlled architectures for more complex tasks.
The financial context is favorable. In recent presentations, Apple has indicated a record quarter, a backdrop that reinforces the resources to complete Siri's leap and compete head-to-head with assistants based on generative AI.
Barring any last-minute changes, 2026 will be the year we see the Siri's most significant evolution since its launchA more helpful assistant, with a better understanding of the context and supported by strategic alliances. For users in Spain and Europe, the outlook points to early availability within the year, with features potentially rolling out in stages as they mature and are validated.
