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If you've been using Siri for a while, you've probably noticed that the voice assistant hasn't made much progress in recent years. While competing products like Google Assistant and Alexa have regularly added new features, Siri has stagnated – and Apple didn't seem to mind much. But that's changed. Apple is now investing specifically in Siri's further development, and with iOS 19, the first real results are surfacing.
Siri's development has been under close scrutiny in recent months. As recently as the beginning of March, things were looking anything but promising. Internal leaks spoke of chaos, delays, and missed opportunities. The originally planned AI upgrades were postponed indefinitely. Many expected progress in 2026 at the earliest. Now, the picture has completely changed: With iOS 19, Siri is expected to become significantly more powerful and versatile as early as fall 2025.
New Siri boss brings a breath of fresh air
A key factor in the change of direction is Mike Rockwell. He recently took over responsibility for Siri, having previously demonstrated his ability to successfully implement large Apple projects with visionOS and Vision Pro. Initially, there were doubts about his suitability, but his role is now viewed positively. Rockwell has wanted to improve Siri for years – and now he has the necessary support. He is supported by Craig Federighi, who is responsible for software development at Apple. Together, they have fundamentally restructured the Siri team. New management, fresh staff, and more technical freedom are intended to take the assistant to the next level.
Apple opens Siri to external AI models
An important step in this reorientation: Apple now allows its development teams to integrate third-party large language models (LLMs) into Siri. Until now, Siri was entirely limited to Apple's own technologies, which severely limited its performance. With this new approach, Siri can now rely on external AI models when its own answers are missing or too imprecise. This decision opens the door to significantly improved Siri responses to everyday questions, complex requests, and spontaneous conversations. OpenAI's ChatGPT was already integrated into iOS 18. If Siri cannot answer a question, ChatGPT takes over. This already noticeably improves the user experience.
iOS 19 brings much more: Google Gemini and other AIs are coming
According to a report in the New York Times, iOS 19 will roll out the first major Siri upgrades as early as fall 2025. This is significantly earlier than originally expected. Three sources independently confirm that Apple has accelerated development. What's even more exciting is what's coming next: Apple apparently plans to integrate several new third-party AI integrations into iOS 19. According to a recent statement by Google CEO Sundar Pichai, Google Gemini is almost certainly one of them. But other models are also expected to follow. This means that Siri will not only become more intelligent, but also more flexible – because it can work with different AI systems. This expansion ensures that Siri has access to significantly more information and possible solutions. You get faster, more relevant answers – whether you're searching for something, planning a task, or simply asking a question.
The internal changes are having an impact
In addition to the technological innovations, Apple's organizational changes are also having a positive impact. The Siri teams have been restructured, fresh expertise has been brought in, and with the new openness to third-party models, a real change of direction is evident. Siri is no longer treated as a side issue, but is at the center of Apple's new AI strategy.
iOS 19 will be a turning point for Siri
For a long time, Siri was Apple's problem child. Too slow, too unreliable, too limited. But now something is happening. With new management, the opening to external AI, and the planned iOS update, Siri is facing a true reboot. The first noticeable improvements will arrive this fall – and it looks as if Apple means business this time. WWDC in June is expected to officially announce many of these innovations. Whether Apple lays all its cards on the table or only reveals a few is still to be seen. The only thing that is certain: Siri will be able to do significantly more than ever before in the coming months – and you will benefit directly. The best accessories in one place: Our Amazon Storefront offers you top products, including for your HomeKit! (Image: Shutterstock / DenPhotos)
- Siri in iOS 19: How Apple wants to correct the bugs from iOS 18
- Siri under new management: Will Mike Rockwell bring about a change?
