Apple’s highly anticipated Siri upgrade, part of its Apple Intelligence platform, is encountering engineering hurdles and software bugs, potentially delaying its rollout, according to a report by Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman.
The report highlights that Apple initially announced the AI-powered Siri enhancements at its developers’ conference in June 2023, with plans to release some features by April 2024. However, internal challenges may push the release to May or later.
The Siri overhaul is a key component of Apple’s strategy to catch up in the AI race and drive iPhone upgrades. Despite the company’s efforts, the rollout of Apple Intelligence has been uneven, with some features, like news summaries, criticized for glitches.
Gurman noted that Siri’s success is “crucial” for Apple, as it represents the company’s AI ambitions since its 2011 debut.
Key Siri Upgrades and Their Challenges
The report added that Apple is working on three major Siri upgrades:
- Accessing user data to improve query responses and actions.
- Enhanced app control for more precise functionality.
- Screen context awareness to better assist users.
Originally slated for iOS 18.4 in April, some features may now be delayed to iOS 18.5 in May. Apple is also considering releasing the features in April but keeping them disabled by default, enabling them later in the iOS 18.5 update.
Internally, employees testing the new Siri have found inconsistencies in its performance. The report said Apple is racing against time to finalize the software, with the developer beta for iOS 18.4 expected soon.
Impact on Apple’s Broader Ecosystem
Delays could also impact other products, such as Apple’s upcoming smart home hub, which relies on Siri’s enhanced app control capabilities. The report highlighted that Apple’s AI efforts face stiff competition from rivals like OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Google’s Gemini, and Meta’s Llama.
The company’s AI and machine-learning teams have struggled to meet deadlines, with some engineers believing the platform was rushed to market to satisfy investor expectations.
Despite these challenges, CEO Tim Cook remains optimistic. During a recent earnings call, he stated that Apple Intelligence is “elevating experiences across iPhone, iPad, and Mac.” However, iPhone sales fell by 1% during the holiday quarter, suggesting that AI features have yet to significantly boost demand.
The report also noted Apple’s collaboration with Chinese tech giants Baidu and Alibaba to develop AI features compliant with local regulations. Meanwhile, delays in iOS 18 could ripple into future updates, potentially pushing iOS 19 features to 2026.
Other anticipated Apple Intelligence features, such as AI-sorted mail on iPad and Mac, priority notifications, and Image Playground’s sketch style, are also in development. The mail upgrade is expected in iPadOS 18.4 and macOS 15.4, with iPhone users already having access.
Looking ahead, Apple plans to make Siri more conversational and competitive with ChatGPT by 2026. For now, the company is focused on overcoming technical challenges to deliver a more versatile and reliable digital assistant.