We might witness Gemini enhance Siri in March 2026.
What you need to know
– Apple is still on course to elevate Siri with tailored Google Gemini models beginning next year.
– The tailored Gemini models will operate on Apple’s Private Cloud Compute servers for security and will be labeled as Apple Intelligence features.
– Apple may release the refreshed Siri as soon as March 2026 alongside the iOS 26.4 update.
There has been discussion of Google and Apple collaborating to boost Siri performance on iOS, and a recent report from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman verifies that the company is still intending to utilize Gemini foundational models starting next year. Gurman indicates the new Siri launch is roughly scheduled for March 2026 and might debut with iOS 26.4 next spring. However, the partnership between Google and Apple is said to be significantly different from its arrangement with OpenAI for ChatGPT integration.
Bloomberg emphasizes that customized Google Gemini models are set to operate on Apple’s own Private Cloud Compute servers. Unlike the ChatGPT integration, Apple will securely oversee user data and fulfill requests on its PCC hardware and software, which is publicly available for peer security evaluations. In contrast, when iPhone users engage with Apple Intelligence’s ChatGPT integration, they are consenting to OpenAI’s data sharing policies.
The tailored Gemini models are expected to function as a planner and summarizer, driving two out of three main components of the approaching Siri overhaul. The third, a knowledge search system, might also utilize Gemini models, but this remains unconfirmed.
Gurman remarked in a series of updates on X (formerly Twitter) that the report is “nothing new,” but at least it confirms that Apple’s release timeline is still on track for 2026. Apple affirmed this during its most recent earnings call. Nevertheless, Apple’s Siri redesign was first revealed over a year ago and has encountered many delays. It was originally advertised as a feature for the iPhone 16 series to debut with iOS.
Since then, iOS users have flocked to Google AI products, with Gemini ascending to the top free app for iPhone in September 2025.
The delays were substantial enough that the iPhone 16 has been succeeded by the iPhone 17, and yet the new Siri remains elusive. Apple was compelled to retract its iPhone 16 assertions about Siri in March 2025 by appending a disclaimer to iPhone and Apple Intelligence product pages (via MacRumors). Thus, the statements from Apple and Gurman’s latest report carry significance as proof that the Siri upgrade is still slated for early next year.
Why Apple wants Gemini
Apple’s in-house large language models (LLM) and foundational models are perceived as underperforming compared to competitors. This is partly why it established a partnership with OpenAI and is anticipated to enter into a similar agreement with Google. The company is reportedly not going to promote the Gemini deal, instead presenting the features as Apple Intelligence.
According to the report, Apple Intelligence foundational models will likely be reserved for on-device computation. Google does have its own Gemini Nano models for local processing, but Apple is expected to remain with its in-house models for the time being.
Apple has faltered on its Siri upgrades, which were advertised over a year ago and are still unreleased, leading to the need for assistance from Google.
