Apple is reportedly holding back a significant set of next-generation Siri features that were initially slated to arrive with iOS 26.4. According to insights from a well-known journalist, these highly anticipated updates aimed to equip Apple’s voice assistant with a more profound contextual understanding, a personalized interaction style, and deeper integration with various applications. However, development roadblocks have seemingly slowed progress, indicating that the launch of these features might be pushed further into the year. This postponement suggests that Apple is dedicating more time to polish these advanced capabilities before their wider release.
What’s Been Delayed for Siri?
A report by Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman indicates that Apple has been actively testing several AI-driven enhancements for Siri, originally planned for iOS 26.4. These upgrades were intended to bolster Apple’s broader strategic focus on on-device AI and refined natural language processing. Despite internal testing, these specific features are now unlikely to ship with the initial iOS 26.4 rollout as first expected.
Among the delayed functionalities are more customized Siri responses and a significantly improved ability to understand context across different apps and system operations. Apple is actively working to allow Siri to better grasp what’s happening on the user’s screen and to provide more intelligent, relevant answers to follow-up questions. This move was widely seen as a crucial step to elevate Siri’s capabilities to match or exceed those of competing AI-powered assistants.
While the iOS 26.4 update itself is still expected in March, Gurman’s sources suggest that the advanced AI features will likely be rolled out in stages across future updates. Some enhancements might see a release with iOS 26.5 in May, while others could potentially be held back until iOS 27, which is typically unveiled in September alongside the next iPhone generation.
Apple has reportedly instructed its engineers to incorporate new Siri features into the upcoming iOS 26.5 update for testing. Internal versions of this update are already said to contain notifications detailing these Siri enhancements.
Gurman’s report further reveals that Apple had initially targeted a March 2026 release for the updated Siri. However, internal testing uncovered unexpected issues, such as the voice assistant struggling to accurately process queries or experiencing delays in responding. These performance challenges ultimately led to the latest round of postponements.
It’s worth noting that this isn’t the first time Siri’s ambitious upgrades have faced delays. Apple’s AI-based voice assistant was slated for major enhancements with iOS 18 in 2024, but many of those plans were shelved as the company lagged behind rivals in the rapidly evolving AI landscape. Earlier reports had indicated that features like App Intents support were expected to finally arrive with the iOS 26.4 update this spring.