An assistant that converses, not just responds
The long-awaited Siri update arrives with iOS 27 in a substantially different form from the system voice users were accustomed to. According to MacRumors and Bloomberg, the new Siri introduces a chatbot-style experience — multi-turn conversations, persistent context, the ability to operate across different apps — now housed in a dedicated standalone app for the first time.
Gemini and opening to competitors
The engine powering the most advanced features is based on a customized version of Google's Gemini models, integrated by Apple under its own privacy specifications. The choice results from a partnership formalized in early 2026 after Apple's original Apple Intelligence plans, announced at WWDC 2024, went largely undelivered for two consecutive years.
More significant for the ecosystem is another change: iOS 27, iPadOS 27, and macOS 27 will allow users to set third-party AI services — including Gemini and Claude — as the default for features like Writing Tools and Image Playground. For a historically closed platform, this is a structural opening.
Privacy and control
Bloomberg reports the Siri app will include options for choosing how long conversation history is retained, from 30 days to indefinitely. Apple maintains its own on-device and Private Cloud Compute processing layer for requests that don't require external model capabilities.