Key facts
- Apple's Siri is being updated with new AI features powered by Gemini models for iOS 27.
- The updated Siri can access and interpret information from texts, emails, notes, and calendar events.
- Siri can now identify content in photos and draw on real-world knowledge from news sources.
- Early beta testing shows improvements in understanding context but persistent issues with accents and data access.
Apple is poised to significantly enhance its virtual assistant, Siri, with new AI capabilities powered by Google's Gemini models, set to be released with iOS 27 this fall. Historically criticized for its limitations, Siri's upcoming iteration aims to address these shortcomings by leveraging advanced AI to understand context and personal data more effectively.
The new Siri AI can index information across a user's phone, including texts, emails, notes, and calendar events, allowing it to answer more complex queries. For instance, users can ask about upcoming appointments or deadlines for cancellations. The assistant also demonstrates an improved ability to draw on real-world knowledge, capable of identifying events in photos and providing relevant commuting tips by accessing local news sources.