Apple Rebuilds Siri on Google's Gemini and Ships It as a Chatbot in iOS 27
At WWDC 2026 Apple unveiled Siri AI, a ground-up reboot that follows its January deal with Google and arrives this fall in English only.
Key takeaways
- Siri AI is powered by Google's Gemini models under a multi-year deal announced January 12, 2026.
- iOS 27 adds a dedicated Siri chatbot app and runs on every iPhone that supports iOS 26, but Siri AI needs an iPhone 15 Pro or newer.
- At launch Siri AI is English-only, and the EU version of iOS 27 skips it, which Apple blames on the Digital Markets Act.
Apple's long-delayed Siri overhaul finally has a name and a date. At WWDC on June 9, 2026, the company introduced Siri AI, a personalized assistant built on Google's Gemini models, and put it at the centre of iOS 27. The public release is expected this fall.
The road to Siri AI
The Gemini partnership became official on January 12, 2026, in a joint statement published on Google's blog. Apple said Google's models would underpin the next generation of Apple Foundation Models, with Apple Intelligence continuing to run on devices and in Private Cloud Compute. Financial terms were not disclosed; a November 2025 Bloomberg report had put the arrangement at roughly $1 billion a year.
The rollout slipped repeatedly. Early expectations pointed to iOS 26.4, but when that update's first beta arrived in mid-February the new Siri features were not in it, and Apple's messaging shifted toward a fuller experience with iOS 27.
What Siri AI does
Swiping down from the middle of the screen opens a Siri interface for questions and searches, and a dedicated Siri app works like a chatbot: it can generate text and images and analyse files. Siri can act on what is on screen, answer questions about what the camera sees, and, per Tom's Guide, reach information stored on the device such as messages, email, files and photos. Users can change the voice's expressiveness and speaking rate. Shortcuts can be created from a plain-language description.
Elsewhere, Apple Intelligence reaches Safari, Passwords, Messages, Mail, Calendar and Home, Photos gets reframing and an Extend tool, and Liquid Glass gains a new default look and an opacity slider. Apple also quoted speed gains for the release.
Who gets it
iOS 27 supports every iPhone that runs iOS 26, back to the iPhone 11. Siri AI and Apple Intelligence are narrower: iPhone 16 or later, or iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. It is English-only at first. Apple says the EU version of iOS 27 will not include Siri AI, citing the Digital Markets Act, and TechCabal reports it is also unavailable in China pending regulatory requirements. Developer betas are out now.
Beyond Siri
The rest of the release is a long list of smaller upgrades. Search is rebuilt across iOS, iPadOS and macOS, and Spotlight on the Mac gains Siri. Safari picks up Apple Intelligence for tab organisation, alerts when a page changes and custom extensions. Passwords can nudge users to strengthen weak credentials. Messages and Mail get smart replies. In Photos, new editing tools reframe shots and extend their edges. iCloud shared albums will support full-resolution photos, including for people on Android and Windows.
Parental controls get a rework too: child accounts become mandatory under 13 and available up to 18, with finer contact and app controls and a redesigned Screen Time. AirPods get a customisable equaliser. Accessibility improvements include richer VoiceOver image descriptions and Action Button camera questions. On the Mac, macOS 27 Golden Gate brings a more uniform toolbar and tighter window corners.
The WWDC keynote was also notable for who delivered it: reporting says it was Tim Cook's last WWDC keynote as chief executive, which adds a leadership-transition backdrop to a launch where Apple is leaning on an outside partner for its core AI model.
Why it matters
Siri has been Apple's most visible AI weakness since chatbots took off. Choosing Google, which also competes for the same users through Android, is a pragmatic admission that building a frontier-grade model in-house was slower than buying one. The privacy framing is therefore carrying real weight: Apple has to convince users that routing through Gemini-derived models, running on-device or in Private Cloud Compute, does not mean their data goes to Google.
The device cutoff is a second constraint. Millions of iPhones can install iOS 27, but only those with the right chips get the headline feature, which keeps pressure on upgrade cycles.
What to watch
- Whether the fall release actually matches the keynote, given the history of slips.
- How much Siri depends on Gemini versus Apple's own models, and how Apple describes that to users.
- How Apple handles the existing ChatGPT integration alongside a Google-powered Siri.
- Whether Apple resolves its EU dispute or ships the region a reduced Siri for a full cycle.
Sources
- Everything announced at Apple's WWDC 2026 keynote — Engadget
- iOS 27 is official: All the new upgrades and features announced at WWDC 2026 — Tom's Guide
- Google Gemini Will Power Range of Apple Intelligence Features, Including Next-Generation Siri — MacTrast
- From Siri AI to iOS 27: Everything Apple announced at WWDC 2026 — TechCabal
