Apple's Next-Gen Siri Delayed Again, Won't Debut in iOS 26.4

Apple's ambitious overhaul of Siri has hit another snag, with the tech giant pushing back the release of its enhanced virtual assistant to at least May 2026, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.

What Was Promised vs. Reality

The delay comes as a disappointment to users who were anticipating significant AI improvements to Siri with the iOS 26.4 update. Earlier reports had suggested that parts of the upgraded Siri would debut in the mid-cycle update, but Gurman's latest report indicates that Apple has encountered multiple technical hurdles during internal testing.

Technical Challenges Holding Back Siri

According to Gurman's sources, internal testers have reported several critical issues with the new Siri implementation:

• Delayed responses that undermine the assistant's utility
• Inaccurate query handling leading to frustration
• Difficulty processing complex questions that modern AI assistants should handle easily
• Unexpected switches to ChatGPT instead of using Apple's own models
• Problems understanding fast speakers, with some users reporting being cut off mid-sentence

These issues suggest that Apple is struggling to integrate its AI capabilities seamlessly into the Siri experience, a challenge that has plagued the company's AI initiatives for years.

What to Expect in iOS 26.5

While the full Siri upgrade won't arrive until iOS 26.5, internal builds reportedly include some preview features. Notably, there's a toggle for a feature that would allow Siri to access personal data, potentially enabling more contextual and personalized responses.

Additionally, current internal builds include a web search tool and image generation capabilities, though these features are unlikely to make it into the iOS 26.4 release either.

The Bigger Picture: Apple's AI Strategy

This delay highlights the challenges Apple faces in its AI strategy. The company has been working to catch up with competitors like Google and OpenAI, but technical limitations and privacy concerns have slowed progress.

Earlier reports indicated that Apple had partnered with Google to use Gemini for powering its revamped Siri, suggesting the company may be relying on external AI models while developing its own capabilities.

The delay also means that some of the most anticipated Siri enhancements won't arrive until iOS 27 in September 2026, pushing the timeline for Apple's AI ambitions even further into the future.

Industry Context

The Siri delay comes amid broader questions about Apple's ability to compete in the AI space. While competitors have moved quickly to integrate advanced AI features, Apple's focus on privacy and on-device processing has created technical constraints that are proving difficult to overcome.

For users, this means another year of waiting for Siri to catch up to competitors like Google Assistant and Amazon's Alexa, which have already integrated more advanced AI capabilities.

The delay also raises questions about Apple's development process and whether the company's traditionally secretive approach to product development is hindering its ability to iterate quickly in the fast-moving AI space.

As May approaches, Apple fans will be watching closely to see if the iOS 26.5 update delivers on the promise of a truly intelligent Siri, or if further delays will be necessary to perfect the experience.