March 26, 2026, 3:22 pm | Read time: 3 minutes
With artificial intelligence, you can approach it however you like, but one thing is clear: The technology has changed how we operate our devices. No specific inputs or procedures, just a conversation in natural language. Apple has resisted this approach until now. A completely new app that turns Siri into an AI chatbot is set to change that.
Rethinking at Apple
For Apple, operation should always be intentional–the user wants to do something, and the system offers the correct option. However, the popularity of ChatGPT and others shows that people sometimes don’t know exactly what they want to achieve or how to achieve it. AI chatbots are extremely good at understanding intent and finding the right solution.
This marks a departure from traditional voice assistants, which have pre-programmed response options–a rigid structure that the “old” Siri still follows. Apple now wants to break with this tradition, as Bloomberg reports. The revamped Siri, based on Google Gemini, is expected to gain chatbot capabilities and be able to conduct conversations via text or voice.
As recently as WWDC25, software chief Craig Federighi emphasized that Apple never wanted to develop a Siri chatbot. However, user demands and strong competition from ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini seem to have led to a change in thinking.
New App as Control Center
According to the Bloomberg report, Apple is working on a Siri app for iPhone, iPad, and Mac as a central hub for AI queries, expected to be released in 2026. Users can start new chats, pin conversations similar to competitors, and search through older threads.
The planned app will support both text and voice interactions. New chats start with suggested inputs that serve as guidance. The display will resemble iMessage, including typical speech bubbles. With the app, users will have a clearly structured space for longer conversations with Siri, which has been lacking until now.
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Expanded Features and Deeper Integration
The new Siri version will search the internet for content, visually present results, and provide summaries. Uploaded documents can also be evaluated. At the same time, Siri remains a system function and can still be activated via the side button or voice command.
There are also plans to replace Spotlight search with Siri. The “Siri Suggestions” feature is set to be expanded and will rely more on user data to provide more suitable suggestions. Additionally, integrating Siri into the iOS keyboard for composing and editing texts is under consideration. The sharing of content from other apps is also being reviewed.
Apple is also testing the integration of Siri into Dynamic Island. During the processing of a request, a glowing Siri symbol appears there with a hint of the ongoing search. The result pops up in a semi-transparent window where a new conversation can be started.
New Design and Operating Concept
The new Siri features were originally intended for iOS 18 and are now finally coming with iOS 27. Apple plans to unveil them at the developer conference WWDC26 on June 8. The actual release is scheduled for fall 2026, along with the iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max.