In March 2026, I find myself staring at an increasingly familiar scene: Apple, the tech giant that once seemed invincible, grappling with another delayed promise. You’ve likely felt the anticipation itself, a mixture of excitement and frustration, as whispers of an upgraded Siri spark hope. Yet here we are again, with murmurs indicating that the latest version of this voice assistant isn’t quite ready for prime time.
Mark Gurman, the go-to source at Bloomberg for all things Apple, recently revealed that Siri’s latest iteration is stumbling in internal tests. The word is clear: a partial version will debut alongside the upcoming iOS 26.4 update, expected next month. But don’t hold your breath for a revolutionary experience; it might leave you wanting more.
Remember the Siri You Were Promised?
Apple has been marketing Siri as your ever-reliable, pocket-sized personal assistant, the embodiment of convenience. They even rolled out a flashy commercial featuring Bella Ramsey in the fall of 2024. But what good is an ad if it sets expectations higher than reality? That commercial was swiftly pulled because Apple couldn’t deliver on the AI’s potential. Instead of smooth interactions and insightful answers, users are left asking why the future promised to them never materialized.
In an age where AI advancements feel like magic, Apple seems to be clinging to yesterday’s dreams. The gap between the current experience and what’s been advertised is hard to ignore. It’s as if users are waiting for a bus that’s perpetually delayed, knowing full well that the ride will likely be bumpy.
Why Is Siri Still Struggling?
Gurman’s sources suggest that the latest Siri struggles with understanding queries, processing them inaccurately, and also, quite concerningly, taking too long to respond. Imagine waiting at a café while your barista fumbles with your order—frustrating, right? This sluggishness is particularly troubling when you consider functions like, “What’s that Greek restaurant Larry told me to try?” which now seem unlikely to make the cut in the upcoming update.
Perhaps you’re wondering, is this the impact of Apple’s billion-dollar dependency on Google’s AI model? It feels almost theatrical; blaming Google for Apple’s own execution failures is a storyline ripe for a tech drama, yet it raises the stakes for consumers. If Siri falters, whose fault will it really be?
Piecemeal Updates and Delays Ahead
The landscape is shifting, with expectations centered on a longer rollout. Gurman indicates that while a limited version of Siri will be available with iOS 26.4, the more robust features are expected in subsequent updates—iOS 26.5 in May and iOS 27 in September. This timeline nudges us closer to the release of the iPhone 18, but it begs the question: will we see genuine innovation or just another set of features that don’t quite hit the mark?
Additionally, delays are creeping in for Siri-based voice controls tied to “App Intents,” a promising framework Apple touts as vital for developers. Yet, judging by developer reactions on social media, enthusiasm seems lukewarm at best—indifference in a field that thrives on excitement.
Can Apple Finally Deliver on Its Promises?
As I ponder this situation, you might ask yourself: how much longer can Apple afford to be seen as lagging in the AI race, especially when giants like Google set the bar so high? Every missed deadline strips away a bit of the company’s allure, turning once-loyal customers into skeptics. With so much riding on these updates, one has to wonder if Apple’s vision for Siri is falling victim to its own ambitions.
So here we stand, waiting for a voice assistant to finally become the intelligent ally it promised to be. Will the next updates redeem Siri, or will they merely reinforce the notion that Apple’s grand vision has turned into a lingering episode of “What could have been?”