Apple software chief Craig Federighi
Apple software chief Craig Federighi confirmed Monday that promised artificial intelligence upgrades to Siri have been delayed, saying the company needs more time to meet quality standards before launching the features in iOS 26.
In a WWDC 2025 interview with YouTuber iJustine, Federighi said the new Siri features were working internally but didn’t perform well enough to ship.
Apple originally previewed major Siri upgrades at WWDC 2024, including more natural conversations, richer contextual understanding, and the ability to perform multi-step actions. At the time, many of those features were expected to ship in 2025.
Apple now says they’re targeting a rollout sometime in 2026, though no firm release date has been shared. Federighi reiterated Apple’s plan to eventually deliver everything it previewed and added that additional improvements are on the way.
Siri delays reflect Apple’s measured approach to AI
While Siri’s new capabilities won’t arrive until 2026, the company says it’s taking its time to ensure reliability and privacy. Most of Apple’s artificial intelligence tools are designed to run on-device by default, mostly avoiding cloud-based processing common in competing models.
Developers can now access Apple’s foundation models through a new API, giving them the ability to integrate natural language features into their apps without relying on external services.
Apple’s deliberate pace stands in contrast to rapid AI rollouts from Google, Microsoft, and OpenAI. With Gemini and Copilot already deeply integrated into competing platforms, expectations for Siri have only grown.
Some industry analysts have called Apple’s 2025 keynote cautious, noting the absence of high-profile breakthroughs. Still, the company appears to be betting on long-term trust.
By delaying Siri until the features meet its quality threshold, Apple avoids shipping half-baked capabilities that could erode confidence in its assistant. The company’s message is clear — better to deliver late than deliver something unreliable.
Apple skips The Talk Show for first time in a decade
It’s not unusual for Apple to talk to iJustine. What is, is that for the first time since 2015, Apple executives didn’t appear on The Talk Show with John Gruber during WWDC week.
The absence marked the end of a ten-year tradition that gave developers and Apple enthusiasts a rare look at candid conversations with senior leadership.
Gruber, who runs Daring Fireball and has hosted Apple figures like Federighi and Greg Joswiak annually, noted the change. He didn’t speculate on the reason.
The shift may signal a broader change in Apple’s media strategy, moving away from its long-standing independent outlets toward more controlled messaging or mass-market platforms. Or, if Occam’s Razor holds and the simplest explanation is the right one, Gruber hurt Apple’s feelings.
We’re no stranger to getting shut out by Apple because we’ve been critical, nor are our friends at 9to5Mac or MacRumors.
