Last year, Apple introduced groundbreaking AI features with the release of iOS 18, significantly transforming how users interact with their iPhones. The integration of Apple Intelligence brought a plethora of new features to the platform, redefining both functionality and productivity. However, one of the most anticipated updates was the new Siri facelift, aimed at enhancing its capabilities to compete more effectively with Google's Gemini and ChatGPT.
Despite the excitement surrounding the revamped Siri, Apple has announced a delay in its release due to developmental challenges. Initially expected to be part of the iOS 18.4 release, the enhanced Siri experience will now potentially debut with iOS 18.5 in May. Developers are encountering obstacles in the current development phase of iOS 18.4, leading to this postponement.
Apple plans to release the iOS 18.4 beta to developers next week, featuring several Apple Intelligence upgrades. This update was anticipated to include significant Siri enhancements, but it seems Apple is opting for a more measured approach before making it publicly available. According to Mark Gurman from Bloomberg, engineering challenges and software bugs are causing delays in the launch of the new Siri functionality.
In a recent announcement, Apple revealed plans to introduce new languages for Apple Intelligence in April, likely coinciding with the release of iOS 18.4. However, with the current software development issues, some features might be delayed or postponed until the release of iOS 18.5, which is expected around WWDC 2025.
The new Siri experience, powered by Apple Intelligence, promises enhanced personal context for a better understanding of user requests. It aims to extend the ability to perform more tasks across apps and increase on-screen awareness to assist users based on what they are viewing. However, Apple engineers have indicated that the feature is not yet performing consistently, necessitating further development time.
