• Apple rebuilds Siri with LLM technology.
• But update delayed until iOS 19 in autumn 2025.

Apple is rebuilding Siri with LLM at its core. A report by The Verge says the shift is led by the company’s AI research team in Zurich. The goal is to make Siri more conversational and better at handling complex requests – something with which it’s struggled with for years.

The new version will use both on-device processing and secure cloud systems. The setup aims to protect user data and allow Siri to handle more advanced tasks. Early tests are focused on making Siri respond more naturally instead of sticking to scripted replies.

This marks a big change for Apple, which has long kept its AI models relatively simple compared to those of other companies’. Apple now sees voice assistants as more than tools for setting timers or checking the weather. The company wants Siri to manage a wide range of user needs, from summarising emails to controlling apps and searching the web.

What went wrong: Technical hurdles behind the delay

Apple’s first attempt to update Siri with AI features didn’t meet expectations. Siri’s old system couldn’t support the type of processing needed for LLMs. Instead of patching it, Apple decided to start fresh. That means longer development time, but also a cleaner, more reliable result.

The new Siri was supposed to launch with iOS 18, but release has now been pushed to iOS 19, coming in the autumn of 2025. The upgrade will let Siri understand context, read what’s on screen, and connect better with apps.

For users, this delay means waiting another year for a voice assistant that can hold longer conversations or work in more parts of the phone. Apple says it’s taking the extra time to get things right, especially around privacy and usability.

Leadership changes aim to accelerate Siri overhaul

Apple made leadership changes to speed things up. Mike Rockwell, who led the Vision Pro team, now oversees Siri and John Giannandrea, who had led Apple’s AI work, has moved to another role. According to PYMNTS, Rockwell is bringing together teams from iPhone and Vision Pro to get the new Siri ready.

The move shows Apple sees smarter voice tools as a must-have. Other companies are moving fast with new voice and text tools and Apple is working to stay in that race.

Internally, Apple has added more engineers to the Siri team and ramped up hiring for AI talent. The company is also working on testing Siri’s new capabilities in different devices – not just iPhones, but also iPads, Macs, and the Vision Pro headset. The goal is to make Siri smarter no matter where it’s used.

Europe on hold: Regulatory uncertainty postpones rollout

In the European Union, Apple has delayed the new Siri rollout. The Digital Markets Act (DMA) requires big tech companies to let their tools work with other services and Apple says this could expose user data to outside companies. As a result, Apple is waiting for clear rules before it launches LLM-powered Siri in the region.

Some experts say Apple’s delay in Europe could give rivals a head start. Others say Apple’s focus on privacy could win over users once the rules are sorted out. Either way, Apple is unlikely to move forward in the EU until it feels confident the new features won’t violate the DMA.

Asia’s fragmented access to Apple Intelligence

In Asia, access to Apple Intelligence varies. iPhones bought in China have limited features, even when used in other countries. A post on Apple’s developer forum says this is due to how the devices are set up and local rules.

In countries like Japan and South Korea, language support and local services also make a difference. Apple may need to adjust Siri for each market, which takes time. Full access in Asia likely won’t happen until at least 2026.

In India, where Apple is growing its market share, users are also expecting broader support for regional languages and services. If Siri’s upgrades ignore these details, adoption may lag. Apple has not yet said how it plans to localise the new AI tools for India or Southeast Asia.

The privacy trade-off: Balancing LLM power with user trust

Apple says privacy is still a top priority. The new Siri uses on-device processing where possible and removes identifying data before sending anything to the cloud. But privacy concerns remain.

A recent $95 million class-action settlement shows why. Siri was found to be recording users without permission. People who owned Siri-enabled devices from 2014 to 2024 can now file claims. Apple says the new system will avoid this kind of mistake by default.

Privacy has always been a major selling point for Apple. But building smarter assistants means Siri will need more access to personal data. Apple says it will use techniques like differential privacy and device-based learning to limit exposure. Still, users will need to decide if they trust Apple’s approach.

Investor pressure and market expectations

News of the delay led to a nearly 5% drop in Apple’s stock. Investor’s Business Daily says some analysts are now less confident in Apple’s short-term outlook. Many buyers were expecting the new Siri to be a key feature of the next iPhone. Without it, interest may drop.

Investors are also watching what rivals are doing. Google and OpenAI are moving quickly. Apple’s slower pace could hurt it if it doesn’t catch up soon. Speed now matters as much as long-term vision.

At the same time, some investors see potential in Apple’s measured approach. By rolling out features slowly and focusing on privacy, Apple may avoid the backlash other companies have faced when rushing AI tools to market.

Looking ahead: Can Apple regain its AI momentum?

Apple is not giving up. It is rebuilding Siri from the ground up, changing how it processes voice and text, and reworking the systems around it. If the new version delivers, it could bring Siri closer to being a useful everyday tool.

Still, Apple faces challenges. It has to manage privacy, work around global rules, and meet rising user expectations. The rollout of iOS 19 in the autumn of 2025 will be the real test. If Apple gets it right, Siri could finally become the assistant Apple always said it would be.

Users, developers, and investors will be watching closely. For Apple, this version of Siri is more than an update. It’s a chance to prove that it can still lead in an area where others have pulled ahead.