Apple’s next-generation Siri upgrade is facing internal turbulence, according to a new report from Mark Gurman of Bloomberg. The more advanced, highly personalised version of Siri that was expected to arrive in iOS 26.4 may no longer land as a single, major spring update. Instead, Apple is reportedly preparing to stagger the rollout across multiple software releases.
Originally, iOS 26.4 was positioned as the moment Siri would take a significant leap forward. However, testing has uncovered performance inconsistencies, including slow response times and occasional failures to correctly interpret user requests. As a result, some features may now slip to iOS 26.5 in May, or even to iOS 27 later this year.
This isn’t the first time Apple has adjusted the timeline. The enhanced Apple Intelligence version of Siri was first previewed alongside iOS 18 at WWDC 2024, with early expectations pointing to a spring 2025 debut. That window came and went, and Apple acknowledged the need for more development time, pushing the overhaul further down the roadmap.
Internal Testing Shifts to iOS 26.5
Engineers have reportedly begun focusing testing efforts on iOS 26.5, which includes internal documentation describing the new Siri capabilities. Within these builds, testers can activate a preview toggle that enables deeper personalisation features. This allows Siri to reference user data such as emails and messages to deliver more contextual responses.
One notable complication involves Siri’s AI backend. Despite Apple’s partnership with Google to leverage Gemini-powered technology, the assistant reportedly sometimes defaults to ChatGPT for certain queries. This fallback behaviour occurs even when Siri’s own updated system should be capable of handling the request, raising questions about integration stability.
Unannounced Features Still in Play
Beyond the headline upgrades, Apple has also been experimenting with additional capabilities. These reportedly include image generation and built-in web search summaries. Image creation would utilise Apple’s Image Playground tools, while web search would summarise online content directly within Siri’s responses.
These features were tested in iOS 26.4 builds and may still make an appearance, even if other enhancements are delayed.
A Fluid Siri Roadmap
Gurman describes the situation as evolving, with Apple’s plans still subject to change. While executives are said to be cautious about further postponements beyond spring 2026, the company appears unwilling to ship a version of Siri that does not meet performance expectations.
Looking ahead, iOS 27 is expected to bring an even larger shift. Apple is reportedly developing chatbot-style capabilities designed to rival platforms such as Gemini, Claude, and ChatGPT. This future iteration of Siri is said to feature deeper operating system integration and a more conversational, AI-driven experience.
