Apple is still planning to roll out its revamped version of Siri around March of next year. The release should be accompanied by the release of a new smart home display product with speaker-base and wall-mount options. A new Apple TV and HomePod mini, which are set for launch soon, will also "help showcase" next year's new Siri and Apple Intelligence features.
The new version of Siri will apparently "lean" on Google's Gemini and include an AI-powered web search feature. Gurman warned "there's no guarantee users will embrace it, that it will work seamlessly or that it can undo years of damage to the Siri brand."
Apple is said to be paying Google to create a custom Gemini-based model that can run on its Private Cloud Compute servers to power Siri. Gurman clarified that this doesn't mean Siri will include Google services or Gemini features. Instead, Siri will simply be powered by a Gemini model in the background, enabling it to deliver the features that users expect with an Apple user interface.
Apple will preview iOS 27, macOS 27, watchOS 27 and other operating systems at its annual Worldwide Developers Conference in June. The updates will apparently focus on major updates to Apple Intelligence and the company's broader AI strategy.
The company is also apparently still running into problems with the launch of Apple Intelligence in China. Despite partnerships with Chinese companies, Apple Intelligence in China is still mired by regulatory issues and the launch is now a "rolling target."
Saturday February 7, 2026 9:26 am PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple today shared an ad that shows how the upgraded Center Stage front camera on the latest iPhones improves the process of taking a group selfie.
"Watch how the new front facing camera on iPhone 17 Pro takes group selfies that automatically expand and rotate as more people come into frame," says Apple. While the ad is focused on the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max, the regular iPhone...
Monday February 9, 2026 6:24 am PST by Joe Rossignol
In select U.S. states, residents can add their driver's license or state ID to the Apple Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, and then use it to display proof of identity or age at select airports and businesses, and in select apps.
The feature is currently available in 13 U.S. states and Puerto Rico, and it is expected to launch in at least seven more in the future.
To set up the...
Tuesday February 10, 2026 4:27 pm PST by Juli Clover
Apple is planning to launch new MacBook Pro models as soon as early March, but if you can, this is one generation you should skip because there's something much better in the works.
We're waiting on 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips, with few changes other than the processor upgrade. There won't be any tweaks to the design or the display, but later this...
Wednesday February 11, 2026 10:07 am PST by Juli Clover
Apple today released iOS 26.3 and iPadOS 26.3, the latest updates to the iOS 26 and iPadOS 26 operating systems that came out in September. The new software comes almost two months after Apple released iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2.
The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update.
According to Apple's release notes, ...
Tuesday February 10, 2026 6:33 am PST by Joe Rossignol
It has been a slow start to 2026 for Apple product launches, with only a new AirTag and a special Apple Watch band released so far. We are still waiting for MacBook Pro models with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips, the iPhone 17e, a lower-cost MacBook with an iPhone chip, long-rumored updates to the Apple TV and HomePod mini, and much more.
Apple is expected to release/update the following products...
The new version of Siri will apparently "lean" on Google's Gemini and include an AI-powered web search feature. Gurman warned "there's no guarantee users will embrace it, that it will work seamlessly or that it can undo years of damage to the Siri brand."
There certainly is not any guarantee! Some of us will actively avoid it, in fact.
Whatever fits this description is what Tim Cook will do.
He doesn't care, at all, if the products are good to great if it were to conflict with counting the most beans.
In Tim Apple's world a great product is defined by what's great for short term shareholder value
To have insight into when you can give the middle finger to short term bean counters and know what and where the market will be is something that I believe Jobs had a handle on like no other person and is a gap that Apple will eventually face consequences from (I mean over a very long term as the post-smartphone personal computing market evolves)
They should've just paired with an AI company early on, announced the new Siri (without a release date), and called it a day. Google, OpenAI, whatever. Just SOMETHING. Stringing us along and making false promises killed a lot of trust and respect for some people (I know a few) and it's hard to defend (if at all).
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Cupertino, California — Apple PR Department (still pretending this was the plan all along)
[HR][/HR] [HEADING=2]Siri Gets a “Boost” From Google Gemini — What Could Possibly Go Wrong?[/HEADING] Apple today proudly announced that Siri—the world’s most polite reminder to use your thumbs—is now teaming up with Google’s Gemini. Yes, that Gemini. The one made by the same company that still can’t decide if “Chat” and “Meet” are separate apps.
This bold new collaboration will make Siri “smarter, more conversational, and slightly more existentially confused.” When you ask Siri a tough question—like “What’s the best Italian restaurant near me?” or “Why did Apple do this?”—she’ll politely hand it off to Gemini, who will answer with confidence, ads, and probably a paragraph about AI ethics.
[HR][/HR] [HEADING=2]The Future of Intelligence (Please Don’t Ask Who’s in Charge)[/HEADING] With Gemini’s help, Siri can now provide “more dynamic and informative responses,” meaning she’ll finally say more than “Here’s what I found on the web.” Instead, she’ll say:
“One moment, I’ll ask my friend from Mountain View.”
We call it collaboration. You might call it outsourcing cognition.
[HR][/HR] [HEADING=2]Privacy: Still Our Favorite Buzzword[/HEADING] Apple remains fully committed to privacy. That’s why Siri will only share your data with Gemini after asking permission—using a pop-up that’s four paragraphs long and looks legally binding.
Craig Federighi reassured users:
“We’re not sharing your data. We’re just letting another trillion-dollar company borrow it briefly for computational enlightenment.”
[HR][/HR] [HEADING=2]Coming This Fall with Apple Intelligence[/HEADING] The new Siri powered by Gemini will launch this fall, right alongside your growing suspicion that AI assistants are all merging into one big, slightly smug cloud.
Early testers say Siri now feels “shockingly competent,” “slightly Google-y,” and “like she just got a Stanford degree she didn’t pay for.”
