Apple Delays Advanced Siri Features Amid Intelligence Setback
New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): Apple is facing delays in the development of an AI-powered version of its digital assistant, Siri, with the anticipated advanced capabilities now set to launch "in the coming year," according to a Bloomberg report. These advanced features, which were initially expected in the iOS 18.4 update in April, include personalised responses and in-app control features. The delays stem from unresolved bugs encountered during internal testing, and there is speculation that Apple may need to rebuild Siri’s intelligent functions from scratch, potentially pushing the release to 2026.
Apple had previously previewed these AI-driven Siri enhancements at the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2024 as part of its iOS 18 platform. Among the features delayed are:
Personalised Siri: This would allow Siri to process and understand data from emails, messages, photos, calendar events, and files on the device, providing context-aware responses. For example, Siri could retrieve a driving licence number from a saved image when needed for a form.
App actions for Siri: Siri was expected to perform tasks within apps without needing to open them, such as finding a photo, editing it, and saving it to a folder—all through voice commands.
On-screen awareness for Siri: This feature would help Siri identify on-screen content and perform actions accordingly. For example, if a contact shared a new address, users could ask Siri to "Save this address," and Siri would automatically update the contact details.
These delays in Siri’s development could also impact the release of Apple’s anticipated HomePad device, which is expected to serve as a central smart home hub. Since the device relies on Siri’s upgraded capabilities for home automation, its planned early 2025 launch may be pushed back due to the postponed features.
While the Apple Intelligence-powered Siri updates are delayed, the iOS 18.4 update, expected in April, will still bring several new features to eligible iPhones:
Language support: The update will expand Apple Intelligence's capabilities to more languages, including localised English for India. This will allow Indian users to access features like Writing Tools, Image Playground, Genmoji, and Visual Intelligence.
Priority Notifications: A new AI-driven system will be introduced to prioritise important messages and alerts based on relevance, similar to the Priority feature in the Mail app.
New styles in Image Playground: Apple's AI-powered image generation tool, Image Playground, will receive additional style options, including a "Sketch" mode.
Visual Intelligence on iPhone 15 Pro: Previously available only on the iPhone 16 series, this feature will now be accessible on iPhone 15 Pro models. It includes tools for text summarisation, translation, contact detail extraction, and visual search, powered by Google or OpenAI’s ChatGPT.
As Siri’s AI advancements face setbacks, users can still expect the iOS 18.4 update to introduce new capabilities to enhance the overall Apple experience, with some features expanding to a broader range of devices like the iPhone 15 Pro. The delays, while disappointing for those eager for Siri's upgrades, indicate that Apple is working toward a more robust, long-term solution for its digital assistant.
