Is Siri’s Future in Jeopardy? Here’s What WWDC25 Tells Us
Credit: Apple
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Apple’s 2025 Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC25) revealed a bold new direction for Apple’s generative AI — branded as Apple Intelligence — but also revealed a trace of uncertainty around Siri’s future.
Apple Intelligence: The AI Backbone
WWDC25 saw major improvements to Apple Intelligence across iPhone, iPad, Mac, Watch, and Vision Pro. While Siri was notably absent from much of WWDC, Apple has always treated Siri, Spotlight, and its intelligent features as one and the same. New Siri-like features were introduced, including:
- Live Translation in calls and messages
- Visual Intelligence to identify and act on-screen
- Image Playground & Genmoji for on-the-fly creative visuals
- Developers can now access powerful on-device foundation models — fast, private, and offline-capable
Apple stressed this is a gradual, privacy-focused rollout, integrating AI into everyday workflows without compromising trust.
Siri’s Absent Era
Contrary to expectations, there was no “Siri 2.0” reveal. Craig Federighi confirmed the AI overhaul “is still not ready.” In fact, Siri was only mentioned twice during the WWDC25 Keynote.
When Apple demoed the new Siri at WWDC24, it reportedly had only a “barely working prototype,” according to a March report from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, who was told by his sources that Apple was still struggling with reliability issues nine months later, with only a 66-80% success rate.
If you’re expecting Siri 2.0 to show up this year, don’t hold your breath. Now forecasted for spring 2026, Siri’s evolution could coincide with iOS 26.4. Apple admitted the delay during a sit-down with the Wall Street Journal, where Craig Federighi and Greg “Joz” Joswiak reinforced their “quality over hype” stance.
What Joanna Stern Learned from Craig & Joz
In the interview, WSJ tech journalist Joanna Stern pressed Apple execs on Siri’s delays. They’re pushing quality-first and want Siri to be “really, really reliable.” They stressed that Siri 2.0 isn’t vaporware, but rather a working product — one that doesn’t currently meet expectations.
Both Federighi and Joz indicated that Apple isn’t rushing the rollout and wants to release something of high quality. Their message: Siri’s still essential — but it must meet Apple’s standard before launch.
Siri vs. Third-Party Assistants: What You Can Do Now
While Apple refines Siri, you can explore other options if you want more functionality. ChatGPT is available in the App Store for iPhone and iPad, and a Mac version can be downloaded from OpenAI’s site. Using a ChatGPT Plus subscription unlocks several features, such as memories and custom GPTs, and Siri is already capable of routing certain queries to ChatGPT.
Other external options include Google Gemini or Alexa. Gemini excels at translation and real-time info, and it’s contextually aware within conversations.
In addition to third-party assistants, you can use Apple’s Shortcuts app to add more functionality to Siri. Starting this fall, you’ll be able to do even more by leveraging Apple Intelligence within Shortcuts and combining it with other apps.
The Stakes Are High, but Is Siri at Risk?
Siri is at risk, but it’s not dead. Apple is shifting AI features into its ecosystem, signaling a long-term vision. Still, the extended delay risks user frustration and third-party defections.
Rivals like OpenAI and Google are iterating faster, and investors are noticing. After WWDC25, Apple’s stock briefly dipped nearly $75B over AI concerns.
Yet Apple’s strengths — privacy, ecosystem trust, and on-device performance — still hold weight. Siri 2.0, if delivered properly, could regain momentum.
The Bottom Line
Apple Intelligence is here, but Siri’s upgrade is postponed to spring 2026. Still, Siri isn’t being replaced anytime soon — at least not by Apple. The new Siri promises deeper context and AI flexibility, including ChatGPT. Meanwhile, users can mix Siri and GPT via Shortcuts or switch to more robust alternatives.
Siri isn’t doomed, but the clock is ticking. For now, it’s up to users to fill the gap creatively and wait for Apple’s assistant to catch up.
