The long-awaited leap the new Siri with advanced artificial intelligence It keeps getting postponed And it's already shaping a significant part of Apple's product roadmap. What was initially planned as a key update to the assistant with iOS 26.4 has been pushed back in the schedule, directly impacting related releases, such as the new smart home display.
Sources close to the company and leaks from Bloomberg and Apple analysts They agree that the development of the new Siri has become a bottleneck. While the hardware for some devices is practically ready, the problems detected in internal testing They still haven't reached the levels of reliability and quality demanded in Cupertino.
From iOS 26.4 to iOS 27: a series of delays for the new Siri
Apple's initial internal plans placed the major Siri update alongside iOS 26with major improvements that were expected to arrive during September 2025. The idea was to gradually roll out additional capabilities through intermediate versions such as iOS 26.4, initially planned for spring.
According to reports published by Mark Gurman, Apple came to work with the goal that Siri's new features debuted in iOS 26.4A system update that should have served as the gateway to the revamped version of the assistant. However, problems detected in internal testing have forced a recalculation of the timeline several times.
The company would have moved some of those new features to iOS 26.5, a new intermediate stop, and it is already assumed in analyst circles that the bulk of the functions might not reach iOS 27, a major update that would be released around September 2026, coinciding with the next generation of iPhone.
This dance of versions involves several changes of direction: First it was targeted for spring, then for May, and now for autumn 2026Despite everything, Apple has never provided an official release date for the new Siri, aware that another missed deadline would be especially problematic after the controversy surrounding previous delays.
At the same time, the company maintains the narrative that Siri powered by Apple Intelligence and generative AI models will arrive within 2026but without specifying when in the year or what exact features will be available to the end user from the start.
A smarter Siri, with personal context and a chatbot feel.
Beyond the dates, what Apple is aiming for is a version of Siri capable of competing with modern chatbots which other major tech companies already offer. The new iteration of the assistant aims to move beyond the limited focus on voice commands and become a more conversational tool, with contextual memory and an understanding of what's happening on screen.
Expected features include increased use of personal data —such as emails, reminders, notes, calendar, or common applications— to provide more helpful answers, as well as the ability to follow the thread of a conversation and better interpret the user's chained requests without having to repeat everything from scratch.
Apple would also have redesigned part of Siri's interface to approximate the concept of an AI chatbotso that interaction is not limited solely to the audio sphere, but mixes voice and text, offers more visual context, and can handle complex tasks more autonomously.
These new features are based on the Apple Intelligence strategy, a framework under which The company has closed a deal with Google to use Gemini models as a basis for part of its Foundational Models. This integration would allow combining local processing on the device with cloud capabilities, always with Apple's usual discourse of prioritizing user privacy.
Although the company has not yet detailed how this collaboration will translate into day-to-day operations, The new Siri is expected to leverage Gemini's models to generate more natural responses., better understand colloquial language and manage more complex requests related to the iOS, iPadOS and other brand systems application ecosystem.
The J490 smart display, held hostage by Siri's calendar
One of the products most affected by these delays is the smart home display, known internally as J490This device, which Apple has been developing for some time as its bet for the connected home, depends heavily on the capabilities of the new, revamped Siri with AI.
According to leaks from sources close to the production line and software teams, The screen hardware has been finished for several months.We would be talking about a panel of about 7 inches, with an appearance similar to that of a more square iPad, which could be attached to a base with a speaker or mounted directly on the wall, acting as a home control center.
The initial plans aimed to an arrival in spring 2025Later, the launch was moved to March 2026, the same date that was initially linked to the release of the new Siri via iOS 26.4. However, problems in the assistant's development have forced a further adjustment to the schedule.
The most recent information suggests that Apple has reportedly decided to postpone the release of the screen until around September.This aligns its release with iOS 27 and the launch of the next-generation iPhone. In other words, the device wouldn't be released until Siri is mature enough to support the promised user experience.
In Spain and Europe, where Amazon and Google assistants have been established in homes for years.The late arrival of this smart display will mean Apple has to work harder to convince users who are already used to other voice and home automation ecosystems.
What will the experience with the new Siri be like at home?
The entire concept of the smart screen revolves around putting Siri at the center of the homeThe idea is that the device will become an artificial intelligence hub from which to manage the home, communicate, and access information quickly and in a personalized way.
The system interface would resemble the grid of icons we see on the Apple Watch, adapted for a larger screen. From there, users could open calendar, notes, reminders, or home apps, as well as control HomeKit-compatible accessories and other elements of Apple's smart home ecosystem.
One of the most striking elements would be integrated facial recognitionWhen a family member approaches the screen, the device could identify them and display personalized information based on their profile: appointments of the day, to-do lists, content recommendations, or shortcuts to features they frequently use.
Siri, in this new phase, would be in charge of orchestrate all these experiencesThe assistant would not only answer questions or activate routines, but would also suggest proactive actions based on the home context and the user's habits, always within the privacy margins that Apple intends to maintain as its hallmark.
As for the operating system, leaks suggest it could be based on a variant of tvOS 27 or homeOSLeveraging Apple's experience with Apple TV and HomePod, but adapted to a touchscreen and more intensive use of AI, this would all theoretically be integrated with future versions of iOS and new Apple Intelligence features.
A domestic ecosystem whose future hinges on Siri
The smart screen is not an isolated project. It is part of a broader set of devices that Apple is preparing for the home., all of them heavily influenced by the state of development of the new Siri and its AI models.
Those plans include other screen variants with different sizes, including a 9-inch option paired with a robotic arm that would allow the device to automatically rotate and reorient itself according to the user's position in the room, something reminiscent of previous demonstrations of robotic concepts by Apple itself.
Also mentioned home security sensors and new accessories Integrated into the HomeKit ecosystem, these products are designed to expand the brand's reach in the field of home automation. All of these products would share the common feature of being coordinated by Siri.
Beyond the home, the company works in other AI-powered devicesas the new generations of AirPods with advanced capabilitiesPossible smart glasses or personal accessories that leverage an understanding of the user's environment and context. Again, the revamped assistant would play a key role in making the experience meaningful.
This network of projects explains why Siri's delay has a domino effectUntil the assistant lives up to what Apple wants to offer, it's difficult to launch products that depend on it to truly differentiate themselves from what's already on the market.
Given this scenario, the new Siri has become Apple's biggest challenge yet: Its postponement affects schedules, slows the debut of the J490 smart display, and delays a good part of the company's domestic strategy.If the launch with iOS 27 finally lives up to expectations, it could represent the turning point they need to compete with other AI giants in Europe and the rest of the world; if it is delayed again, the feeling of lagging behind the competition will become even more evident.
