Apple’s long-awaited Siri AI overhaul is facing another delay, and the rollout now appears set to arrive in phases rather than as a single headline feature in iOS 26.4.

According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple encountered fresh issues during internal testing in recent weeks. Sources familiar with the project say the upgraded assistant does not always process requests correctly, and some queries take longer than expected to complete.

Fresh Bugs and Performance Delays Complicate Launch Plans

Apple initially targeted iOS 26.4, which is expected in March, but the company is now spreading parts of the upgrade across later releases. Some features could slip to iOS 26.5 in May, while more advanced capabilities may not arrive until iOS 27 in September.

The delay stands out because Apple first previewed the redesigned Siri in June 2024. At the time, the company positioned it as a major leap forward, promising a more personal assistant capable of understanding on-screen context, accessing relevant user data when appropriate, and executing complex tasks across apps.

Those advanced features now appear to be the most difficult to deliver reliably. Gurman says internal builds include a toggle that enables a “preview” of certain personal data features, which suggests Apple may warn users that early versions are incomplete or inconsistent.

Testing has also uncovered reliability concerns. Some deeper app control features reportedly fail in certain scenarios. Testers have flagged accuracy problems and a bug that interrupts users if they speak too quickly. In some cases, Siri falls back to its existing ChatGPT integration instead of relying on Apple’s new system.

The revamped Siri runs on a new architecture, reportedly codenamed Linwood, and is powered by Apple Foundation Models. Apple has also confirmed that Google’s Gemini models will support parts of the assistant. Despite these partnerships, Apple continues to stress its privacy-first approach, which limits how user data is processed or stored externally.

Apple maintains that the upgraded Siri will launch this year, but a full rollout now looks increasingly staggered.

For more daily updates, please visit our News Section.

Stay ahead in tech! Join our Telegram community and sign up for our daily newsletter of top stories!

(Source)

The post Apple’s New Siri Hits Another Roadblock, Major AI Upgrade Delayed Again appeared first on Gizmochina.

A subtle but surprisingly major shift is tucked inside the latest iOS 26.2 beta: Apple seems to be laying the groundwork for letting some iPhone users replace Siri as the default assistant summoned by the Side Button. If it rolls out, it would be the first time a long-press on that button could trigger something other than Apple’s own voice assistant.

The clue comes from text strings discovered in iOS 26.2 beta 3, buried inside Apple’s private Siri frameworks. The messages spell things out pretty clearly, with lines like “Press and Hold to Speak is not available while the Side Button is assigned to %@,” “Select Another Default Side Button App,” and warnings that the default Side Button app “cannot be hidden” or “cannot be locked.” There are also alerts for when an app “is no longer eligible for use with the Side Button” or when it’s unavailable “in your region.”

This capability will only be available to iPhone users in Japan—specifically those whose devices and Apple IDs are registered in the country. In plain terms, it means people in Japan could soon assign the long-press Side Button gesture to a third-party assistant such as Google’s Gemini, Amazon Alexa, or any other approved voice assistant app instead of Siri. And it also means iPhone users in Japan could finally try the newer, more capable AI features that have become common in 2025.

The timing isn’t random. Japan passed the Mobile Software Competition Act in August, and it officially kicks in this December. One of its requirements is that platform holders can’t give their own virtual assistants exclusive access to hardware triggers or system-level features. The arrival of these code snippets in iOS 26.2 lines up almost perfectly with that deadline.

There’s been speculation that the EU might get a similar option under the Digital Markets Act, which forces “gatekeepers” like Apple to give third-party developers access to the same hardware hooks and to let users easily switch defaults. For now, though, Apple’s documentation is firm: Side Button reassignment is Japan-only.

For anyone outside Japan hoping for a smarter AI experience, there is a bit of good news: recent reports suggest Apple has been working with companies like Google to bring third-party AI enhancements to Siri itself.

Don’t miss a thing! Join our Telegram community for instant updates and grab our free daily newsletter for the best tech stories!

For more daily updates, please visit our News Section.

(Source)

The post Apple prepares to let iPhone users swap Siri for a third-party assistant appeared first on Gizmochina.

Key Highlights:

• Apple is close to signing a US$1 billion per year deal with Google to use its Gemini AI model for Siri.
  
• The upgraded Siri is expected to launch in spring 2026 as part of iOS 26.4.
  
• Apple plans to use Gemini temporarily while developing its own large-scale AI model.

Apple Turns to Google for AI Upgrade

Apple is in final talks with Google to integrate its powerful Gemini AI model into Siri, marking one of the biggest artificial intelligence partnerships in the tech industry. The deal, worth around US$1 billion per year, aims to overhaul Siri’s capabilities and bring Apple up to speed in the fast-moving AI race. According to Bloomberg, the Gemini-powered Siri could launch by spring 2026 with iOS 26.4.

A Smarter, More Capable Siri

Currently, Siri runs on Apple’s in-house cloud AI with around 150 billion parameters. Under the new agreement, it will tap into Google’s Gemini model, which boasts 1.2 trillion parameters, nearly eight times more powerful. The upgrade will allow Siri to better understand complex commands, summarise information, and plan multi-step tasks.

Internally, the Siri revamp is known as “Linwood”, while the larger AI project is called “Glenwood.” The effort is being led by Apple executives Craig Federighi and Mike Rockwell, the creator of the Vision Pro headset.

Privacy and Performance

Despite using Google’s AI, Apple will maintain strict privacy controls. Gemini will operate on Apple’s Private Cloud Compute (PCC) servers, ensuring user data remains isolated from Google’s infrastructure. All processing will be temporary, with no data stored between sessions, reinforcing Apple’s privacy-first image.

However, this setup means Apple must expand its cloud hardware to handle Gemini’s massive size, potentially increasing costs and system load.

Why Apple Chose Google

Apple reportedly tested multiple AI models, including OpenAI’s GPT and Anthropic’s Claude, before selecting Gemini for its contextual understanding, scalability, and integration flexibility. While the deal gives Apple a major AI boost, it’s seen as a temporary arrangement until Apple completes its own 1-trillion-parameter AI model.

In markets like China, where Google services are banned, Apple plans to rely on its in-house models and local partners like Alibaba for regulatory compliance.

Strategic Implications

The collaboration marks a shift in Apple’s strategy, from building everything internally to selectively partnering with industry leaders. While the partnership won’t be publicly branded like the Safari-Google Search deal, it highlights how Apple is adapting to remain competitive in generative AI.

Both Apple and Google stocks rose after reports of the deal, signaling investor optimism. Once launched, the Gemini-powered Siri could redefine what voice assistants are capable of, blending power, privacy, and intelligence in a way that reshapes the AI landscape.

Read More:

• AI Chip War Heats Up: U.S. Blocks Nvidia, China Responds with Total Ban
• NVIDIA’s Market Share in China Drops from 95% to Zero Amid US Export Restrictions
• US AI Tools Under Fire: Are America’s Top Coders Using Chinese Models?

(via)

The post Apple Turns to Google for AI Help: $1 Billion Deal to Power Siri With Gemini appeared first on Gizmochina.

Apple is facing an investigation in France over the collection and use of voice recordings made through its Siri voice assistant. The Paris prosecutor’s office confirmed the probe on October 6 and said it has referred the case to the Office for Combating Cybercrime.

The investigation follows a complaint filed earlier this year by the French human rights organization Ligue des Droits de l’Homme. The complaint is based on testimony from Thomas Le Bonniec, a former subcontractor who worked for Apple’s partner Globe Technical Services in Ireland in 2019. Le Bonniec said he reviewed thousands of Siri recordings during his time with the company, including conversations that involved sensitive personal information.

French authorities are looking into whether Apple collected and processed user voice data without proper consent. Le Bonniec said the recordings could contain intimate details and that some were identifiable. He had previously raised the issue with European data regulators, including France’s CNIL and Ireland’s Data Protection Commission, but those efforts did not lead to an investigation.

Apple declined to comment directly on the case. In a January blog post, the company stated that it does not retain Siri audio recordings unless users explicitly opt in. Apple said it uses those recordings solely to improve Siri and does not share them with marketers or sell them to advertisers. The company also said it had strengthened Siri’s privacy controls in 2019 and again in 2025.

The complaint has also led to a class-action lawsuit in France. The suit follows a similar case in the United States, which ended in a $95 million settlement last year. Apple did not admit to any wrongdoing in that case.

French prosecutors have not disclosed further details about the scope of the current investigation.

For more daily updates, please visit our News Section.

Stay ahead in tech! Join our Telegram community and sign up for our daily newsletter of top stories!

(Source)

The post Apple faces French investigation over Siri voice recordings appeared first on Gizmochina.

Apple’s WWDC 2023 event is tomorrow, and there have been many leaks about what the company might announce. One of the most interesting rumors is that Apple may be discontinuing the “Hey Siri” trigger phrase. Currently, we can activate Siri by holding down the power button or saying “Hey Siri.” However, the new rumor suggests that Apple may be changing this. Here are the details…

Apple Improves Siri’s Accuracy and Responsiveness with New Trigger Phrase Instead of “Hey Siri”

When it comes to technology, leaks are inevitable. Someone always reveals something during the development or production stages, which is enough to keep technology enthusiasts busy until the products we are waiting for are announced. When it about Apple products, these leaks are usually the responsibility of Mark Gurman. As the Gizmochina team, we also closely follow this journalist, who is famous for frequently revealing the secrets of Apple. According to his most recent claim, the “Hey Siri” command may be phased out.

Apple is reportedly planning to drop the “Hey Siri” trigger phrase. The change would allow users to invoke Siri hands-free by simply saying “Siri,” without the need to say the wake word first. The change is reportedly part of a larger effort by Apple to improve Siri’s accuracy and responsiveness. The company has been working on ways to make Siri more natural and user-friendly, and this change would be a significant step in that direction.

Gurman said in his post that he revealed the situation:

“The company is working on an initiative to drop the “Hey in the trigger phrase so that a user only needs to say “Siri”—along with a command. While that might seem like a small change, making the switch is a technical challenge that requires a significant amount of AI training and underlying engineering work. The complexity involves Siri being able to understand the singular phrase “Siri” in multiple different accents and dialects. Having two words — “Hey Siri” — increases the likelihood of the system properly picking up the signal.”

RELATED:

• Best Designed Smartphones of 2023
• Apple Reveals Usage Statistics Of iOS 16 And iPadOS 16 Ahead Of WWDC 2023
• Latest Apple Patent Reveals Protection for Taptic Engine in case of Accidental Drops
• Apple’s AR/VR Headset will take Virtual Concerts to New Heights
• Apple To Open Three Stores In The Next Four Years In India As Current…

(via)

The post Apple to Drop “Hey Siri” Trigger Phrase at WWDC 2023 appeared first on Gizmochina.

According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple is reportedly working on a significant change to Siri that would eliminate the need for the “Hey Siri” trigger phrase. Instead, users would only need to say “Siri” followed by a command. This change aims to bring Siri closer to Amazon’s voice assistant, Alexa, which can be activated simply by starting a command with “Alexa.”

Apple’s Siri Set to Drop ‘Hey Siri’ Trigger Phrase

The transition from a two-word trigger phrase to a single word poses technical challenges, as Siri would need to accurately interpret the singular phrase “Siri” across various accents and dialects. The current “Hey Siri” phrase increases the chances of the system correctly recognizing the trigger.

In addition to this trigger phrase change, Apple is also said to be working on deeper integrations of Siri with third-party apps and services. This integration would provide better assistance to users by leveraging additional contextual information.

Although the exact timeline is not confirmed, these changes to Siri are expected to roll out sometime in 2023 or 2024. It’s possible that Apple could announce this update alongside iOS 17 at its Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) this summer. However, the event’s primary focus is anticipated to be on Apple’s mixed-reality headset, so the Siri trigger phrase change might not be the centerpiece of the event.

Rumors suggest that iOS 17 will bring improvements such as granular control over flashlight brightness, customizable Lock Screen options, a revamped Apple Music with more graphics, and the ability to customize and organize the App Library. A redesigned Control Center and the possibility of app sideloading are also speculated.

RELATED:

• Apple iPhone 15 & 15 Plus may feature iPhone 14 Pro series’ 48MP cameras
• Apple brings Emergency SOS via Satellite feature to Australia and New Zealand
• Apple M3 Pro chipset’s base version to reportedly feature 12 CPU cores
• Xiaomi 13 Ultra vs iPhone 14 Pro Max: Specs Comparison

(Source, Via)

The post Apple plans to simplify the ‘Hey Siri’ command to just ‘Siri’ appeared first on Gizmochina.

A pair of unlikely circumstances led to false alarms at a gym in Sydney, Australia, on Tuesday. A personal trainer at PTJ Gladesville was teaching a client when his Apple Watch accidentally activated Siri and called emergency services and caused 15 armed police officers to show up. Here are the details…

Siri pulled a false alarm at the gym and caused 15 armed police officers to show

According to a report from news.com.au, a personal trainer at PTJ Gladesville was teaching a client when his Apple Watch accidentally activated Siri and called emergency services. When the emergency services received the call, they believed there was an emergency involving gun shots, possibly a suicide, had occurred at the gym. As a result, around 15 armed police officers arrived at the gym, leaving the trainer and his client in shock. Since the false alarm was an honest mistake, it wasn’t immediately clear what actually happened.

The trainer describes what happened next: “The next minute about 15 officers including undercovers showed up, with several ambulances parked out the front, and that’s when I started bricking myself. “All of them came in and I was like, ‘What is going on?’ One of them asked who Jamie Avery-or something was and I said, ‘I am Jamie Alleyne.’ “He told me I was the one who made the call which was impossible because I didn’t even have my phone on me.”

Upon realizing the mistake, the trainer explained to the police that he had not made the call and that it was a false alarm caused by his Apple Watch. Fortunately, no one was harmed during the incident. This incident serves as a reminder to be cautious of the words we say when Siri or any other voice assistive device is turned on.

RELATED:

• Apple Is Reportedly Working on a Smart Display to Rival Google Nest Hub Max…
• Apple Introduces 2nd Gen HomePod With Improved Sound and Intelligence
• Sony Achieves Revenue Growth Thanks to Apple’s iPhone 14 Series in 2022
• Apple Hit With a $17 Million Fine by the Russian Anti-Monopoly Agency
• Apple Launches 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro Models With Improved Performance and Features

(via)

The post Siri Causes Unnecessary Police Raid at Gym, 15 Armed Officers Respond appeared first on Gizmochina.

Almost every major smartphone manufacturer has its own voice assistant. With advancements in technology, companies want to put a smart device in the user’s pocket and home, raising questions about privacy.

In line with that, a lawsuit was filed against Apple alleging that the company’s voice assistant, called Siri, has improperly recorded private conversations. In a ruling related to that case, the judge ruled that the company will have to face the lawsuit, reports Reuters.

The post Apple to face lawsuit that alleges Siri listening to users’ private conversations appeared first on Gizmochina.

Siri, the voice-command-based virtual assistant from Apple that is available on almost all of Apple’s devices, faced the wrath of social media users in China this week after the platform was unable to read out China’s tally of gold-medal wins at the ongoing Tokyo Olympics.

Apple’s Siri says that the issue was because of a technical setting that only allowed Siri to read out the name of one country if two countries have the same amount of gold medals. The problem had been fixed and Siri was able to read out the correct tally for China.

Chinese social media users started uploading videos on Weibo showing the official Olympic gold medal tally of China. The video showed that Japan won 11 gold medals, followed by the US and China with 10 gold medals each, and Russia with seven gold medals, but Siri was unable to read out China’s number of wins.

People started speculating that the US-based tech giant may have deliberately snubbed China because of the ongoing tensions related to tech and trade. Apple has a strong presence in China but has suffered pushback because of the pressure piled by the United States on Chinese companies, especially Huawei Technologies, which is now barred from using US-origin technology. Currently, China is Apple’s third-largest market by revenue.

RELATED:

• Apple warns about global chip shortage impacting iPhone production
• LG confirmed to start selling Apple products in its stores in South Korea
• Apple is asking a Chinese leaker to reveal his sources in the legal notice
• Apple patents under-display camera tech for Touch ID and Face ID
• Apple places order for over 100 million A15 Bionic Chips from TSMC: Rumor

The post Apple’s Siri faces backlash in China for skipping Chinese Olympic gold tally appeared first on Gizmochina.

Update: April 13

Apple has finally updated its Apple events page. Captioned as “Spring Loaded”, the event is said to take place on April 20 at 10:00 AM PDT (01:00 AM Beijing Time / 10:30 PM IST). If you have an iPhone/iPad product, you can witness the AR version of the multi-colored logo as well.

Original Story is as follows…

After a lot of misquoted dates, Apple’s Siri assistant itself has revealed the date of the next launch event. While Apple hasn’t confirmed it yet, the next Apple event is said to be on April 20 as per Siri.

Just like users reporting on Twitter and MacRumors reports, I tried asking Siri, “Hey Siri, Apple event”. It replied that a Special event is on next Tuesday, i.e, April 20. Apple recently confirmed that it’s WWDC 2021 will be online and begin on June 7.

While one might expect the same for this event, Siri says that the event will be hosted at Apple Park in Cupertino, CA. That said, it doesn’t confirm it as an in-person event and considering the situation, we can expect Apple to stream a pre-recorded video on social media channels like YouTube.

You can take a look at the screenshot below:

Also, Siri didn’t say anything about the products/announcements that are going to be unveiled at the event. However, we have seen various reports in the past and they suggest that Apple will bring the iPad Pro 2021, Apple TV 2021, and long-rumored AirTags.

There are also rumors about the new iMacs and Macbooks but we aren’t sure if they would see the light on that day.

Talking about the iPad Pro models, Apple is said to bring 11-inch and 12.9inch iPad Pro models. Out of this, the 12.9-inch is said to feature a mini-LED display. Other expected specs include A14X chipset, Thunderbolt connection via USB-C, and more.

As for the Apple TV 2021, it is expected to bring upgrades like HDMI 2.1 port, support for 120Hz refresh rate content, powerful GPU and higher RAM capacity, and more.

RELATED:

• Apple has reportedly got a new TV Stick and Amazon Echo-like speaker in the works
• Apple iPhone 11 Pro with misprinted brand logo was sold for $2,700
• Apple and Qualcomm face lawsuit over patent infringement on 5G chips

The post [Update: Official] Apple Siri assistant says the next event is on April 20, iPad Pro 2021 expected appeared first on Gizmochina.

Earlier this week, Apple just had a ruling in its favor that was regarding unpaid taxes worth 13.9 billion US Dollars in Ireland. However, it seems the company didn’t have time to celebrate as another possible investigation into its voice assistant may have it shell out a 26 billion US Dollars fine.

For those unaware, the European Union Competition Commissioner, Margrethe Vestager, was behind the tax evasion lawsuit in Ireland. And now, the official is looking into information from 400 companies to see if there is any possible misconduct with voice assistants such as Siri, Google Assistant, and Amazon’s Alexa. If any foul play is found, the companies behind these voice assistants may face an antitrust charge.

Editor’s Pick: World’s First 120W fast charging unveiled by iQOO; First 120W iQOO phone could be coming in August

In the past, such inquiries have led to multi billion dollar fines being imposed against various industries related to energy, finances, and even pharmaceutics. In other words, the EU is trying to acquire information from 400 companies, to send a message to industry giants like Apple, Amazon, and Google. A message that is meant to keep them in check.

The companies that break the voice assistant rules regarding competition, a fine of 10 percent of its global revenue can be imposed. Meaning, Apple’s 260 billion US Dollar global revenue from last year could have it fined for 26 billion US Dollars. This move arrives due to the inherent amount of consumer data IoT products and recent smart products work with. Unfortunately, it is still too early in the investigation to say anything right now and we will keep you posted regarding any major updates in the matter.

UP NEXT: Huawei begins counterattack, files patent infringement against Verizon, HP and Cisco

(Via)

The post Apple may face a $26 billion fine as EU investigates Siri appeared first on Gizmochina.

Back in August, Xiaomi launched a new Aqara Gateway Hub that not only works with the Mijia app but also works with Apple Homekit. The added support for Apple HomeKit means owners will be able to control their smart products with the Siri voice assistant.

The Aqara Gateway Hub is now on sale and is priced at ¥299 (~$43). Xiaomi says it will also work with its own Xiao Ai voice assistant. Connection to the hub is either via Wi-Fi (2.4GHz only) or Zigbee.

The Aqara Gateway Hub can be linked with up to 32 smart devices including smart lights, the Aqara flood sensor, wireless switches, wall sockets, body sensor, temperature and humidity sensor, and Aqara motorized curtain.

When connected to the Apple HomeKit, users will be able to use Siri on their iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch or HomePod to control any of the smart devices. All you have to say is “Hey Siri” and ask it to turn on/off the light or lower the temperature.

READ MORE: Xiaomi crowdfunds the classy and comfy Yang Zi Leather Sofa built to last up to a decade

The new Aqara Gateway Hub works with iOS 11+ and Android 5.0+ devices. It weighs 186.5g and works with 100 – 240V AC power. It has a NXP iMX6 CPU with 256MB of RAM. It is also said to have an Apple-certified encryption IC.

If you are interested in grabbing one, it is available for purchase on the Youpin store.

(Via)

The post Xiaomi’s new Aqara Gateway Hub with support for Apple HomeKit goes on sale for ¥299 appeared first on Gizmochina.

Apple has Siri voice assistant on its iPhones. The Google Assistant was introduced on Google Pixel smartphones. Microsoft smartphones have Cortana onboard and Amazon’s voice assistant is called Alexa. Also, Samsung is heavily pegged to launch Bixby voice assistant on Galaxy S8. Fresh information has revealed that Huawei, the third largest smartphone manufacturer in the world is all set to rival the existing AI assistants by introducing its own digital assistants.

According to Bloomberg, the Chinese smartphone manufacturer is currently developing its own voice assistant and it has over 100 engineers working on it.  The report states that Huawei’s digital assistant would be aimed towards domestic audience as it will carry support for Chinese languages.

Huawei smartphones that will be sold outside of China will include AI services from Google and Amazon. As of this writing, none of the existing Chinese smartphone manufacturers have its own voice assistant. Hence, Huawei smartphones that will come its own AI service will be stand out from devices from the oversaturated Chinese smartphone market where Google services are blocked and Amazon’s Alexa does not support Chinese language.

Related: Huawei P10 Plus Images Leak Days Before Launch

Google Assistant comes preloaded only on Pixel and Pixel XL smartphones. It Is also available on Android Wear 2.0 smartwatches and Google Home. Google is rumored to introduce Google Assistant on third-party devices by making it available pre-installed.

Google has been struggling to re-launch its services in China and if the world’s third largest smartphone maker launches its own AI service, Google’s plans will be further affected. According to IDC, Samsung and Apple are currently leading the global smartphone market and Huawei is placed on the third spot. Richard Yu, the consumer head of Huawei has said that the company aims to grab the first spot by 2021.

Unlike Apple and Samsung, Huawei smartphones are not sold through popular carriers of the U.S. such as AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile and Sprint. Huawei is also expected to increase its market share in the U.S. market by partnering with major carriers.

(source)

The post Huawei’s Voice Assistant for Smartphones to Arrive Soon appeared first on Gizmochina.

After making a comeback with Nokia 6 Android smartphone, the company is now rumored to be working on a virtual voice assistant like Siri , Google Assistant, ad Cortana. It is expected to be called Viki.

Rumors are rife that Nokia has registered a trademark for a personal voice assistant called Viki in the EU. In the application, the product is described as ‘software for the creation and monitoring of mobile and web assistants working with digital knowledge and combining all data sources into a single chat and voice-based interface.”

Related: Nokia 6 is Official: 4GB RAM, Snapdragon 430, and ¥1699 (~$245) Price

Even though Nokia seems to be working on a similar voice assistant for its devices, other speculations suggest that Viki may not be a voice assistant and may be associated with some other project from the company. Adding voice assistants on smartphones seems to be a growing trend with smartphone companies.

Recently, Huawei had announced that it will be including Amazon’s Alexa voice assistant in the next flagship that it will release in the U.S. Apple has Siri on its devices since 2011.

Alexa voice assistant is available on Amazon since 2014. The Google Assistant was introduced with Google Pixel smartphones. Devices running on Windows 10 Mobile have Cortana and Samsung is rumored to bring Bixby voice assistant on Samsung Galaxy S8 smartphone that is expected to launch by April this year.

(Source)

The post Nokia to Launch Viki Voice Assistant to Rival Siri, Google Assistant? appeared first on Gizmochina.