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Apple to Ship iOS 26.4 Beta Next Week With First Siri Upgrades, Chatbot Siri Slated for iOS 27

The company is pacing Siri’s overhaul to restore confidence in iOS after design and performance complaints.

Overview

  • Developers are expected to get the first iOS 26.4 beta in the week of February 23, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman.
  • Early Siri additions in 26.4 reportedly include personal context from messages, emails and notes, on‑screen awareness, and expanded in‑app and cross‑app voice controls.
  • Public availability is expected after beta testing, with outlets pointing to late March or April for the stable release window.
  • Apple plans a more capable, chatbot‑style Siri for iOS 27 to be previewed at WWDC 2026, as iOS 27 reportedly prioritizes performance fixes and retains the Liquid Glass design.
  • Reports confirm Google’s Gemini will back some capabilities, though there is disagreement over processing locations, with Apple emphasizing on‑device and Private Cloud Compute while some accounts cite Google servers; newer iPhones such as the iPhone 15 Pro or later are reported as likely requirements for the new Siri features.