What you need to know
- Apple is still on track to upgrade Siri with custom Google Gemini models starting next year.
- The custom Gemini models will run on Apple's Private Cloud Compute servers for security and will be branded as Apple Intelligence features.
- Apple could launch the revamped Siri as early as March 2026 with the iOS 26.4 update.
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There has been talk of Google and Apple working together to improve Siri performance on iOS, and a recent report from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman confirms the company is still planning to use Gemini foundational models starting next year. Gurman reports the new Siri rollout is roughly tabbed for March 2026, and could launch with iOS 26.4 next spring. However, the collaboration between Google and Apple is said to be much different from its arrangement with OpenAI for ChatGPT integration.
Bloomberg reaffirms that custom Google Gemini models are planned to run on Apple's own Private Cloud Compute servers. Unlike the ChatGPT integration, Apple will securely control user data and complete requests on its PCC hardware and software, which is publicly made available for peer security reviews. By comparison, when iPhone users tap into Apple Intelligence's ChatGPT integration, they are opting-into OpenAI's data sharing policies.
The custom Gemini models will reportedly serve as a planner and summarizer, powering two out of three main components of the upcoming Siri revamp. The third, a knowledge search system, could also use Gemini models, but that is not confirmed.
Speaking of Apple and AI. The new Siri is planned for March give-or-take, as has been the case for months. Apple has been saying for 9 months it’s coming in 2026. Apple simply reiterated that on the earnings call. Nothing new but for some reason sparked headlines. https://t.co/eQm14rGB9ENovember 3, 2025
Gurman noted in a series of posts on X (formerly Twitter) that the report is "nothing new," but at the very least, it is a confirmation that Apple's release schedule is still on track for 2026. Apple confirmed as much on its most recent earnings call. However, Apple's Siri redesign was first announced more than a year ago and faced numerous delays. It was initially marketed as an iPhone 16 series feature to debut with iOS.
Since then, iOS users flocked to Google AI products, with Gemini becoming the top free app for iPhone in September 2025.
The delays were major enough that the iPhone 16 has been replaced with the iPhone 17, and yet the new Siri is still nowhere to be found. Apple was forced to walk back its iPhone 16 claims about Siri in March 2025 by adding a disclaimer to iPhone and Apple Intelligence product pages (via MacRumors). So, the comments from Apple and Gurman's latest report do hold weight as evidence that the Siri upgrade is still penned for early next year.
Why Apple wants Gemini
Apple's in-house large language models (LLM) and foundational models are seen as lacking compared to the competition. That's in part why it struck a deal with OpenAI, and is expect to come to a similar agreement with Google. The company will reportedly not promote the Gemini deal, instead marketing the features as Apple Intelligence.
Per the report, Apple Intelligence foundation models will likely remain for on-device compute. Google does have its own Gemini Nano models for local processing, but Apple is expected to stick with its in-house models for now.
Apple dropped the ball on its Siri upgrades, which were marketed over a year ago and still haven't shipped, and that's why it is reportedly turning to Google for help.
