Apple's highly anticipated AI enhancements for Siri may face delays due to ongoing software issues, even as internal testing of iOS 18.5 is already underway.
According to recent reports, Apple engineers have been testing iOS 18.5 since early February 2024. This testing phase comes amid growing concerns about the readiness of the new Apple Intelligence features for Siri, which were originally planned for the iOS 18.4 release.
The new AI capabilities, unveiled during WWDC 2024, promise to bring advanced functionalities to Siri, including on-screen awareness, improved personal context understanding, and enhanced app controls. These features would allow users to make complex queries, such as asking about flight details and restaurant reservations based on information from Mail and Messages apps.
However, internal testing has revealed that these features "don't yet work consistently," leading Apple to consider postponing their release until iOS 18.5, expected in May 2025. The company might include some features in iOS 18.4 but potentially with default settings turned off.
The delay highlights broader challenges in Apple's AI development efforts. While competitors like OpenAI, Google, and Meta have launched their AI products, Apple's machine-learning team has reportedly struggled to meet deadlines. Some internal sources suggest the system may have been rushed to satisfy market expectations.
The Apple Intelligence features will be exclusive to iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, and all iPhone 16 models. While iOS 18.4's first beta version is expected this week, with a planned public release in April, the timeline might shift depending on the progress in resolving these technical challenges.
Despite launching an extensive marketing campaign for Apple Intelligence, the company has remained silent on these potential delays, declining to comment on the current state of the Siri project.