Apple’s new Siri release delayed again? Reportedly, testing revealed issues; some features may be postponed until September.

Recent reports show that due to technical bottlenecks encountered in recent tests, Apple's highly anticipated Siri virtual assistant feature releases are facing major adjustments.

According to reports on Wednesday, June 11 (ET), Apple originally planned to launch new Siri features with the release of iOS 26.4 in March 2026, and until last month, the company was still aiming for March. Apple executives have long insisted that they do not want the new features to be delayed beyond Spring 2026. After issues were uncovered in testing, Apple is now considering spreading some features across subsequent iOS updates, with some features possibly postponed to May with iOS 26.5, or even to September with iOS 27.

Citing informed sources, the report says that in testing, the new Siri exposed issues such as software failing to handle queries correctly, slow response times, and insufficient accuracy, which are the main reasons for the delay. The situation is continually evolving, and Apple’s plans may be further adjusted.

Apple's spokesperson declined to comment on the above information. After the news broke, Apple shares, which had jumped over 2% midday, quickly gave back most of the gains, narrowing to less than 0.6% at one point during the day, and closing up nearly 0.7%, giving back over half the intraday increase.

This delay is the latest setback in Apple’s Siri upgrade plans. In June 2024, Apple first unveiled its plan to launch Siri features powered by Apple Intelligence, promising that Siri could leverage personal data and screen content to better meet user needs and enable precise voice control over apps. All new features were originally set to launch in early 2025. By spring 2025, Apple had postponed the schedule to 2026, without specifying a clear launch month thereafter.

The news of Siri’s delay on Wednesday poses new challenges for Apple’s artificial intelligence (AI) strategy. As rivals accelerate their AI product launches, technical bottlenecks could further widen the gap between Apple and market leaders, and affect investors' confidence in its AI transformation progress.

Testing Reveals Multiple Technical Defects

According to Wednesday's report, sources revealed that Apple found a series of critical issues during recent tests. Siri failed to consistently process user queries correctly, and request response times were frequently too long. Testers also reported accuracy problems, and a bug where Siri would interrupt users if they spoke too quickly.

More troublesome were issues with handling complex queries requiring lengthy processing times. Another challenge was that the new Siri sometimes reverted to using its existing OpenAI ChatGPT integration instead of leveraging Apple’s own technology—even when Siri should have been able to process these requests.

The sources said that as early as late 2025, internal versions of the new Siri were so slow that developers believed a months-long delay was needed. Apple recently directed engineers to test new features using the upcoming iOS 26.5, suggesting the features would be pushed back at least one version. The internal build of that update already includes notifications describing enhanced Siri functionality.

Personal Data Features Most Heavily Delayed

Among all postponed features, Siri’s expanded ability to leverage personal data is most likely to be delayed. The technology was supposed to let users ask the assistant to search old text messages for a friend’s shared podcast and play it immediately.

The internal build of iOS 26.5 also includes a settings toggle allowing employees to enable a “preview” of this feature. This suggests Apple is considering warning users that the initial version is incomplete or may not reliably function—a similar approach to its operating system beta tests.

Another feature lagging behind is the advanced command system for voice-controlled in-app operations, known as app intents. This system would allow users to instruct Siri, with a single command, to find an image, edit it, and send it to a contact. Apple employees testing iOS 26.5 said that early support exists for these functions, but they do not reliably operate in all scenarios.

Unannounced Features Still Expected to Launch on Time

Despite setbacks, Apple is still developing two new, unannounced features: a web search tool and custom image generation. The current test version of iOS 26.5 includes both features, and Apple has tested them in iOS 26.4 as well, suggesting that some new Siri features might still launch as initially planned.

The web search feature is similar to Perplexity or parts of the Google search engine’s Gemini. It allows users to request information from the web and receive synthetic replies, summary details lists, and relevant website links. For image generation, the new feature uses the same engine as Apple’s Image Playground app, but testers with iOS 26.5 say it remains unstable.

More Radical Redesign Planned for iOS 27

Beyond current upgrades, Apple is also developing a major AI project for iOS 27, iPadOS 27, and macOS 27: a completely redesigned, chatbot-style Siri powered by Google servers and more advanced custom Gemini models.

The codename for this project is "Campo," and its goal is to deeply integrate AI into Apple’s operating systems, providing the interface and features expected of ChatGPT-style assistants. Apple is also testing this system through an independent Siri app, allowing users to manage prior chatbot interactions.

An important part of the next-generation Siri interface will be its ability to control the entire operating system and locate personal data such as files. Apple also plans to leverage the new Siri engine in its main internal apps, including Mail, Calendar, and Safari.

Privacy Stance May Slow Development

One reason Apple’s personal data features are taking so long is the company’s strict privacy stance. According to reports, in an all-hands meeting with staff last week, software engineering chief Craig Federighi emphasized that personalized AI must not expose user data.

Federighi said at the time, "We believe that when the model receives your question, the data must remain private, and this is extremely important," adding that "the industry standard is to send data to servers, where it is logged, exposed to companies, and used for training."

Apple is "leading" in keeping AI either on users’ devices or transmitting it to privacy-protecting servers, Federighi said. The company also relies on authorized information and synthetic data—data generated artificially to simulate real-world input—rather than using material directly from users.

At the same meeting, Apple CEO Cook hinted at more changes to come, saying the company is developing new data center chips to boost AI capability.

Cook said, "Apple chips enable us to create data center solutions tailored for our devices," and added, "Looking forward, the work we're doing will make new categories of products and services possible." Media outlets believe Cook was likely referring to the Baltra project—a long-term effort to develop high-performance chips for cloud-based AI processing.

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