Before its latest iPhone model hits shelves next week, Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) rolled out iOS 27 on Monday, which features a reimagined Siri AI personal assistant.
The Siri AI can be accessed via a new Siri app that saves previous queries. Compared to older versions, the new Siri allows users to respond to the assistant’s replies, offering a more conversational experience.
Apple Puts Limits On Siri AI
Apple noted that certain cloud-based features of Siri AI and Apple Intelligence will be subject to daily usage limits, with expanded access potentially offered for a fee in the future. The upgraded Siri uses large language models (LLMs) to analyze users’ local personal data, including texts, emails and calendar appointments, while also answering general questions and searching the web.
The iPhone maker said that the new capabilities are powered by its next-generation Foundation Models, tailor-made in partnership with Alphabet Inc.‘s Google (NASDAQ:GOOG) NASDAQ: GOOGL) and its Gemini models, and run both on-device and through servers using Private Cloud Compute.
The revamped Siri AI is currently in beta. Initially available in English, support for other languages such as French, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, and Spanish will be added next month. However, the service won’t be available in the EU or China due to regulatory reasons. Users can opt to join via the Settings app, although they may need to join a waitlist for access.
Munster Critiques Siri’s Response Time
Deepwater Asset Management’s Gene Munster said Apple’s servers appear overloaded following the iOS 27 rollout, similar to the launch of Apple Intelligence in October 2024.
“Looks like Apple iOS servers are a little overloaded, given it’s taking longer than usual to update to the new iOS 27 that came out about 1 p.m. ET,” he wrote on X.
He praised the new Siri AI for offering personalized searches across emails and texts but criticized its 5–15-second response times.
iPhone 18 Demand Shows Early Strength
The launch of the revamped Siri AI comes on the heels of the unveiling of the iPhone 18 lineup at Apple’s “Surprise and Shine” event. The new models, which largely retain the design language of last year’s iPhone 17 Pro, are equipped with the new A20 Pro Chip, Siri AI, and camera upgrades. The upcoming iPhone 18 models are being promoted as “ideal” for AI due to their speedy chips and the personal data stored on them, such as calendars and texts.
Gene Munster said Apple’s iPhone 18 pre-order wait times have risen sharply, with average lead times across eight countries reaching 2.6 weeks three days into pre-orders, up from 1.6 weeks a day earlier. He called the increase an early, favorable signal of strong global demand.
Image via Shutterstock
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