Apple Sets Plans for Delayed Siri Launch in 2026

Key Concepts:

• Delayed Siri features (iOS 16.4)
• Personal data integration for Siri queries
• On-screen analysis via Siri
• Precise application control through Siri
• Siri's "two-brain" architecture
• Large Language Models (LLMs)
• Compatibility issues
• Rebuilding Siri's architecture

Delayed Siri Features (iOS 16.4):

The new Siri features announced in June 2024 will be delayed and are now expected to launch with iOS 16.4 in Spring (March/April) of the following year.

New Siri Features:

• Personal Data Integration: Siri will be able to access personal data to answer queries. Example: "What was the video I sent Caroline last week?" Siri could retrieve the specific video.
• On-Screen Analysis: Siri will be able to analyze what's on the user's screen.
• Precise Application Control: Siri will allow precise control of applications. Example: "Pull up this photo of Caroline, edit it, and send it to her and others in our group chat."

Reasons for Delay: Siri's "Two-Brain" Architecture and Compatibility Issues:

Apple faced engineering and management problems integrating the new features into Siri. The core issue was Siri's architecture, which was split into two "brains":

1. Basic Brain: Handles legacy features like setting alarms and making phone calls.
2. Advanced Brain: Based on Large Language Models (LLMs) for more advanced features.

Combining these two brains into one Siri caused compatibility problems. The system failed up to a third of the time in real-world use.

Solution: Rebuilding Siri's Architecture:

Apple is rebuilding Siri's underlying architecture to have one brain based on newer generation technology (LLMs) to handle all tasks. This aims to eliminate compatibility issues but requires more development time.

Conclusion:

The delay in the new Siri features is due to fundamental architectural problems in integrating legacy functions with advanced AI capabilities. Apple's solution involves rebuilding Siri with a unified architecture based on LLMs, which is expected to resolve compatibility issues but will take additional time, pushing the launch to Spring of the following year.