Siri 2.0 for iPhones could be even further away from launch than expected, as we've learned from part of Mark Gurman's July 7 Power On newsletter.
Gurman had already reported that the revamped Siri, powered by Apple Intelligence and coming as part of the iOS 18 update, wouldn't appear in full until next year, not this fall when Apple Intelligence in general arrives. But now Gurman has more specific timing for Siri 2.0's launch, saying it'll appear in beta form in January 2025, with the final version appearing with the iOS 18.4 update in spring 2025.
As some kind of consolation prize, Siri's new design with the glowing border and freshened-up logo will still appear in fall 2024, Gurman continues. ChatGPT support, which will allow Siri to offer to use the OpenAI chatbot to answer a query that Siri can't do alone, will also arrive at this point.
New Siri slow to surface
Apple's made sure to announce its AI features are on the way at WWDC 2024 last month, showing it's not falling behind competitors like Google or Samsung. But Apple is taking its time rolling them out. Even when it launches, Apple Intelligence will be in beta, and only for devices operating in U.S. English, which could prove to be another hurdle between you and Siri 2.0.
These features couldn't come at a better time for Siri, which has had a reputation for being a rather simple digital assistant. With its new AI powers, Siri will be able to carry out tasks within apps, like editing photos on your behalf, and understand what's on screen and use that context to better understand your command, as we saw on stage at WWDC.
iOS 18 by itself adds a number of fun features to your iPhone too, without the help of Apple Intelligence. This includes things like recoloring your app icons, Control Center customization, a new Photo apps design and a dedicated Passwords app for the first time.
We will see iOS 18 launch this fall, which we'll assume will take place at the same time as the iPhone 16's launch. While the new iOS will be available on the 2018 iPhone Xs and later, you'll likely want the latest iPhone model, or at least an iPhone 15 Pro, to use the new Apple Intelligence-powered Siri to its fullest.
