Apple Delays More Advanced Siri Update Amid Rumoured Internal Challenges

Highlights

• Apple announced a delay in its advanced Siri features rollout.
• Reports indicate internal struggles and slow progress in developing the new Siri features
• Some Apple employees reportedly pushing for leadership changes in the AI division.

Apple has confirmed that its highly anticipated Apple Intelligence updates for Siri will take longer than expected. In a statement to Daring Fireball, the company said it now expects to roll out “a more personalised Siri” sometime “in the coming year.”

Apple spokeswoman Jacqueline Roy explained the delay in the statement, saying, “Siri helps our users find what they need and get things done quickly, and in just the past six months, we’ve made Siri more conversational, introduced new features like type to Siri and product knowledge, and added an integration with ChatGPT. We’ve also been working on a more personalized Siri, giving it more awareness of your personal context, as well as the ability to take action for you within and across your apps. It’s going to take us longer than we thought to deliver on these features, and we anticipate rolling them out in the coming year.”

Bloomberg Report Reveals Details of Delay

According to a new Bloomberg report, Apple’s delay is tied to internal struggles with the new Siri features. The report states that Craig Federighi, Apple’s head of software, had “strong concerns that the features didn’t work properly” when he tested them.

Initially, Apple planned to launch the updated Siri with iOS 18.4, but delays pushed the release to iOS 18.5, expected in May. Since then, engineers have been scrambling to fix various issues, but progress has been slow. Sources told Bloomberg that the features may not be ready until “next year at the earliest.” Some within Apple’s AI team are even questioning whether they should be scrapped entirely.

The report reads, “In the lead-up to the latest delay, software chief Craig Federighi and other executives voiced strong concerns internally that the features didn’t work properly — or as advertised — in their personal testing, said the people, who asked not to be identified discussing internal matters.”

“Some within Apple’s AI division believe that work on the features could be scrapped altogether, and that Apple may have to rebuild the functions from scratch. The capabilities would then be delayed until a next-generation Siri that Apple hopes to begin rolling out in 2026,” the report further adds.

This isn’t the only Siri-related setback. A separate report earlier this week revealed delays for a more conversational Siri in iOS 19.

With these delays piling up, some Apple employees are reportedly questioning whether CEO Tim Cook or the company’s board should make leadership changes in the AI division. John Giannandrea, Apple’s Senior Vice President of Machine Learning and AI Strategy, has led the company’s AI efforts since joining from Google in 2018. However, some employees believe that without leadership changes, Apple risks falling further behind in AI development.

“[…] Apple employees are questioning whether Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook or the company’s board needs to take action to change the leadership of the AI group. They believe that, short of major changes, Apple will continue to fall behind. Earlier this year, the company tapped veteran software leader Kim Vorrath to help the team, the report adds.

What Apple Promised at WWDC Last Year?

Apple promised an advanced version of Siri when it first showcased all the Apple Intelligence features at WWDC 2025.

At the unveiling of Apple Intelligence, Apple announced, “Awareness of your personal context enables Siri to help you in ways that are unique to you. Can’t remember if a friend shared that recipe with you in a note, a text, or an email? Need your passport number while booking a flight? Siri can use its knowledge of the information on your device to help find what you’re looking for, without compromising your privacy.”

It also added, “Apple Intelligence empowers Siri with onscreen awareness, so it can understand and take action with things on your screen. If a friend texts you their new address, you can say “Add this address to their contact card,” and Siri will take care of it.”

The in-app actions will, “Seamlessly take action in and across apps with Siri. You can make a request like “Send the email I drafted to April and Lilly” and Siri knows which email you’re referencing and which app it’s in. And Siri can take actions across apps, so after you ask Siri to enhance a photo for you by saying “Make this photo pop,” you can ask Siri to drop it in a specific note in the Notes app — without lifting a finger.”

FAQs

Q1. Why is Apple delaying the advanced Siri updates?

Answer. Apple has confirmed that its highly anticipated Apple Intelligence updates for Siri will take longer than expected. In a statement to Daring Fireball, the company said it now expects to roll out “a more personalised Siri” sometime “in the coming year.”

Q2. What internal concerns are causing the delay in Siri updates?

Answer. Craig Federighi, Apple’s head of software, reportedly had “strong concerns that the features didn’t work properly” when he tested them.

Q3. What was Apple’s promise regarding Siri at WWDC 2025?

Answer. Apple promised an advanced version of Siri when it first showcased all the Apple Intelligence features at WWDC 2025. Apple announced, “Awareness of your personal context enables Siri to help you in ways that are unique to you.”

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