We're halfway through the iPhone 16 and iOS 18's launch year and yet we're still waiting for the final piece of the puzzle that completes Apple Intelligence's first wave of features - major changes to Siri.
While we expected to get Apple Intelligence-powered Siri in iOS 18.4, Apple delayed the release of the AI voice assistant, leaving iPhone owners in the lurch.
I've talked at length about Apple's Siri dilemma, but unfortunately like all other users who believed in Apple Intelligence, I'm left wondering when Siri will finally get its much-needed glow-up.
While we don't know when Siri is going to get its big AI upgrade, I've decided to look at the future of the iPhone's voice assistant and list the upgrades we still expect to receive at some point in the future.
The last piece of the puzzle
When Apple Intelligence was unveiled back in June last year it was seen as a pivotal moment for the future of Apple products with incredibly promising AI tools that would transform the way you interact with your devices.
Fast forward eight months and I think it's fair to say that Apple Intelligence's rollout has been tepid at best. AI tools have launched as part of iOS 18.1, 18.2, and 18.3 bringing new Apple Intelligence features every time from Mail app categorization to Genmoji (generative AI emojis).
Every update to iOS 18 brings something new, and for a few weeks, it feels like the turning point of Apple Intelligence's relevancy before it dissipates and becomes just another iPhone feature again.
After nearly a year, criticizing the rollout is fair, but it's hard to criticize Apple Intelligence when the most important aspect of it all still hasn't arrived on the scene.
While we thought that was all about to change with the launch of iOS 18.4, unfortunately, Apple postponed the launch of a new, more intelligent, Siri.
You see, Apple Intelligence is all about Siri, it's the beating heart of Apple AI and unfortunately, up until now, it's a clunky mess that missing its core.
Yes, there's a nice new design that pulsates from the edges of compatible iPhones, and yes, it has access to ChatGPT for more difficult prompts, but it's still just Siri, and we all know too well that "just Siri" is exactly what we don't want.
However, after 14 years of Siri, we need more, and that's why it's pivotal that Apple releases the much-anticipated upgrade sooner rather than later.
What to expect from Siri with Apple Intelligence (whenever that happens)
Siri's makeover can be broken down into three key areas that combine to make the voice assistant the beating heart of every Apple Intelligence-powered device on the market. Here are the three main changes coming to Siri at some point in the future:
1. Personal context
Siri will be able to track information from throughout iOS including all your emails, messages, and photos, as well as the way you interact with files on your device. From there, Siri will be able to take context into account when responding to your queries, offering suggestions and helping you keep on top of life. For example, you'll be able to ask Siri to remind you of the name of a restaurant a friend told you about in Messages, and the voice assistant will then be able to search through your conversations and provide an accurate answer.
2. On-screen awareness
Have you ever wanted to ask Siri a question based on what you're doing at that very moment in time on your device? Well, Siri will be able to know what you're looking at on your iPhone's display and respond to questions based on your screen. Imagine being able to ask Siri to add an event to your calendar from an image, or ask for further details about a photo you're looking at. Pretty cool!
3. App Integration
Last but definitely not least is app integration which allows Siri to better integrate with first and third-party apps and learn more about you from the software you use the most throughout the day.
This has been something users have been clamoring for since Siri initially launched in 2011 and to have better communication between the voice assistant and the apps on your device is going to unlock a new realm of possibilities.
The future is bright (I hope)
Covering Apple Intelligence launches since September has proven pretty tricky. On one hand, Apple is implementing new features into its devices that are useful when you need them and forgettable when you don't. On the other hand, I can't help but feel that Apple Intelligence has been lagging behind the competition.
The major Siri upgrade is the final piece of the puzzle in the first wave of Apple Intelligence, and accessing Siri 2.0 will give us an indication of whether Apple's AI is going to be a major success, or if it's going to be just another software feature in an ever-growing list of functionality.
Apple wants people to buy new devices for Apple Intelligence, and unfortunately, until we know when these new Siri updates are launching, it's hard to make a case for the iPhone's AI.
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