Apple is expected to unveil a new and smarter Siri powered by Apple Intelligence – its suite of artificial intelligence (AI) features for the iPhone. According to a report, the new Siri might arrive with the iOS 18 update version earlier than expected. When it does launch, it’s speculated that it will join Apple Intelligence features that are expected to be introduced with the iOS 18.1 update next month, including web authoring and digesting tools.
Siri with Apple intelligence
Apple previewed its Apple Intelligence features in development at the 2024 Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in June. While some of them have already been tested in development and public beta updates, the new Siri remains elusive, despite the Cupertino tech giant unveiling its new user interface (UI). But that could soon change, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman.
In his Power On newsletter, Gurman suggested that the new Siri could arrive earlier than previously expected. Apple is expected to introduce it with the iOS 18.3 update, not iOS 18.4. The development of this update could be completed by the end of the year, and its release is predicted for January 2025.
However, only some of Siri’s features may be introduced with iOS 18.3, and Apple will consider some for the iOS 18.4 update, which is expected to be released sometime in March next year.
Siri upgrades
According to Apple, one of the most significant additions to Siri is contextual understanding. Apple’s voice assistant will be able to understand natural language and unclearly spoken sentences to find the underlying meaning behind them, using the company’s AI model. Additionally, it will also be integrated with various native Apple apps, with the ability to take actions within the apps via verbal prompts.
After the iOS 18 update, Siri also has a new user interface. After activation, the screen lights up around the edges. Additionally, users can now also take advantage of the Type to Siri feature that accepts text queries alongside voice commands.
