For years, Siri has a hard time even answering basic questions, while ChatGPT and Gemini have leapfrogged ahead and shown what AI chatbots could do. However, that is all going to change with the new Siri chatbot that's expected to launch with iOS 27. Apple is building a full-fledged AI chatbot that competes directly with ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude. So, if you are curious, follow our in-depth explainer on the new Siri app.
What's the New Siri Chatbot App?
The upcoming Siri app (codenamed Project "Campo") is Apple's new attempt to turn its voice assistant into a modern and conversational AI chatbot. Currently, if you ask Siri one thing, it responds with an answer and that's it. However, the Siri app that is coming with iOS 27, will support persistent text and voice conversations in a chat interface, that looks similar to iMessage.
You will be able to ask follow-up questions, go back and forth on a topic, and resume your conversation where you left off. That said, Apple was not initially inclined to build a full AI chatbot like ChatGPT and Gemini. In fact, Apple's software chief, Craig Federighi said in 2025 that it does not want to send users "off into some chat experience in order to get things done".
But thanks to the broader adoption of chat-centric AI apps like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude, Apple is now developing a standalone Siri AI app. If we look at the AI landscape, Google has now integrated Gemini into Android, and ChatGPT has over 900 million weekly active users. In such a scenario, Apple simply can't add AI features to system apps and call it a day.
When Is the Siri App Launching?
Apple is expected to unveil the new Siri chatbot at WWDC on June 8, 2026, along with the first developer beta of iOS 27. The public release is scheduled for September 2026. All those promising AI features and smart Siri capabilities are expected to arrive this year. In fact, some Gemini-powered improvements, and AI features have been pushed further.
Which iPhones Will Get the Siri App?
While Apple has not officially confirmed the device requirements for the Siri app, it seems it will require Apple Intelligence support. As a result, your iPhone must have at least the Apple A17 Pro chip and 8GB of RAM. Basically, you will need the iPhone 15 Pro or newer models. It also means that the base iPhone 15 or the older iPhone 14 Pro won't get the new Siri.
However, if you own the base iPhone 16, iPhone 17, or even the budget iPhone 16e or 17e, you should be all set. Here is the expected list of all iPhone that will support the Siri app:
- iPhone 15 Pro
- iPhone 15 Pro Max
- iPhone 16
- iPhone 16e
- iPhone 16 Plus
- iPhone 16 Pro
- iPhone 16 Pro Max
- iPhone 17
- iPhone 17e
- iPhone Air
- iPhone 17 Pro
- iPhone 17 Pro Max
Note that iOS 27 may come to older iPhones, but the Siri app may require Apple Intelligence. However, it's unclear right now whether the Siri chatbot will be available on all iOS 27 compatible device or just restricted to Apple Intelligence-supported devices.
Siri App Features in iOS 27 (Rumoured)
Apple is reportedly developing a dedicated Siri app for iPhone, iPad, and Mac. It will look and function like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude. The feature list is extensive and here is the full breakdown.
Standalone Siri Chatbot
The new Siri app will work as a central hub for all your AI conversations. You can chat with Siri, pin and save your favourite chats, start new conversations via a "+" button, and search across your entire chat history.
The conversation view would look like iMessage with chat bubbles and support for switching between voice and text modes. You can also upload documents and photos for analysis. And when you start a new conversation, Siri will suggest prompts based on your past usage.
iMessage-Style Chat Interface
Unlike the current Siri, which disappears after responding, the Siri app will retain full conversations. You will be able to ask follow-up questions, go back and forth on a topic, and resume your conversation where you left off. It should work exactly like ChatGPT or Gemini apps, but with Apple's design language.
Web Search with Visual Results
The Siri chatbot will be able to search the web and return visual results, going beyond just text links. This is similar to how ChatGPT and Perplexity handle web queries. On top of that, Siri will also have access to news content from various sources.
Multiple Commands Support
According to a recent Bloomberg report, Apple is testing the ability for Siri to handle multiple commands in a single query. With iOS 27, you will be able to say "check the weather tomorrow" and "set a reminder to call my mom at 7 PM". Siri will execute different tasks at once. It's similar to how Gemini handles multi-step instructions on Android.
Image and Content Generation
The new Siri will have image and content generation capabilities. It can generate email drafts, summaries, and AI-generated illustrations. Basically, you will not need a third-party AI chatbot to perform any of these actions.
Dynamic Island Integration
The Siri app is getting a new look and it will be deeply integrated into the Dynamic Island. When you activate Siri, a glowing icon and a "searching" label would appear in the Dynamic Island while your request is processed. Once done, it will then expand into a glass-like panel with results. And you can pull it down to get the full chat interface.
Document Summarization and File Analysis
You can upload PDFs, photos, and other documents and ask Siri to summarize or analyze them. This is a feature that is available on nearly all AI chatbots, so Apple is matching it with its Siri app.
On-Screen Content Analysis
As promised before, Siri will be able to see what is on your screen and take actions. If a friend texts you a new address, you will be able to ask Siri to analyze the screen and add it to their contact card. Similarly, you can use Siri for various other use cases by analyzing the current screen.
Cross-App Actions and Device Control
The new Siri will be able to control device settings, interact with apps, and perform tasks across multiple apps using the new App Intents framework. In the future, Apple wants users to navigate app UIs via voice, including scrolling through menus. Thanks to the OS-level access, Siri can perform these actions.
Deep Integration with Apple Apps
Besides the standalone Siri app, it will also be deeply integrated into Apple's first-party apps such as Mail, Messages, Photos, Xcode, and more. You can ask Siri to compose emails, edit photos, or help with coding. This kind of deep system integration is not possible with ChatGPT or Claude.
Personal Data Access
This is where Siri has an advantage over third-party AI chatbots. The Siri app will be able to tap into your emails, messages, notes, and files to complete tasks. For instance, you can ask Siri to write a reply to an email referencing your calendar, and it will automatically pull the relevant data and to perform the action.
Ask Siri Button
Apple is testing an "Ask Siri" button that will appear in menus of apps, including third-party apps. It will allow you to send content directly to Siri from wherever you are. In addition, there will be a "Write with Siri" option that will appear above the iOS keyboard that hooks Apple Intelligence's Writing Tools.
Spotlight Replacement
This is going to be the big one. The new Siri is expected to replace Spotlight as the primary system-wide search interface. All of the Spotlight capabilities like finding apps, files, contacts, and web results, will be merged into the new Siri.
Conversational Memory
Apple is being careful with persistent memory, which is saving memory based on past interactions. While ChatGPT, Gemini and Claude remember past conversations to deliver a personalized response, Apple is discussing internally whether the new Siri should retain memory or not. The company is also mulling whether it should limit the feature to protect user privacy.
Third-Party Extensions
Apple is planning to introduce an "Extensions" system with iOS 27 that will allow third-party AI chatbots to integrate with Siri. You can use a third-party AI chatbot, set it in Settings, and Siri will route queries to it. In fact, Apple is also planning a dedicated Extensions section inside the App Store, which will act like a marketplace for AI integrations.
Gemini Under the Hood
In January 2026, Apple and Google announced a multi-year partnership and according to multiple reports, Apple is paying Google roughly $1 billion per year for access to a custom Gemini model. This custom AI model is said to be based on Gemini 3 and it's significantly more powerful than anything Apple has built so far.
Now, in March 2026, The Information reported that the partnership is much more deep. The report says that Apple has full access to Gemini within its own data centres, running on Private Cloud Compute infrastructure. In fact, Apple is allowed to distill smaller and task-specific models from Gemini that can run on Apple devices.
But the most important part is that Gemini powers the new Siri, but no Google or Gemini branding will be visible to users. From the user's perspective, it will be Siri, but significantly faster, thanks to Google's Gemini under the hood.
New reports say that Google was not Apple's first choice, but it was a necessity. Apple had initially considered building Siri around Anthropic's Claude AI chatbot, but due to some capabilities and commercial reasons, Apple chose Gemini.
The End of OpenAI's Exclusive Deal
Apple started its relationship with AI chatbots in December 2024 by partnering with OpenAI. According to multiple reports, it was a zero-dollar deal where Apple got ChatGPT features for free and OpenAI got access to Apple's user base. However, with iOS 27, that exclusive agreement is ending.
According to Bloomberg, Apple is introducing an "Extensions" system with iOS 27. A test build of iOS 27 reads: "Extensions allow agents from installed apps to work with Siri, the Siri app and other features on your devices". You can download your preferred chatbot app, set it in Settings, and Siri can route queries to it.
In fact, Apple is planning to have a dedicated Extensions section inside the App Store. It will be like a hub of third-party AI integrations. That said, these third-party chatbots won't have deep OS-level access. They can't control device settings or interact with apps the way Siri can.
Basically, Apple is opening Siri to rivals to earn up to 30% commission on AI subscriptions purchased through Extensions.
The Road to the Siri app
If anything, Apple was averse to the idea of packaging Siri into an AI chatbot. It didn't want to create just another AI chatbot, instead, the company wanted to weave AI experiences across the system. However, after failed initiatives in the AI race, Apple is finally developing a Siri app in 2026, after all. Here is the timeline of events.
| Timeline | Event |
|---|---|
| June 2024 | At WWDC 2024, Apple showcased it most ambitious AI-powered Siri features. It included on-screen awareness, personal context, and cross-app actions. These AI features were expected to ship with iOS 18, but they were delayed. |
| December 2024 | Apple shipped ChatGPT integration with Siri in iOS 18.2, which was a sort of admission that Apple couldn't compete on model intelligence. And the promised AI features were nowhere to be found. |
| March 2025 | Apple finally confirmed delays on Siri AI features and removed claims that Apple Intelligence is available. Apple CEO Tim Cook removed AI Chief John Giannandrea and handed the division to Mike Rockwell, who reported to Craig Federighi. |
| August to December 2025 | Apple was in talks with Google and Anthropic for rebuilding Siri. John Giannandrea finally retired in December, and Apple hired Amar Subramanya, who was a former Google and Microsoft AI executive, as the new AI chief. Meanwhile, senior Apple researchers left for Google, OpenAI, and Meta. |
| January 2026 | Apple and Google announced a multi-year partnership and the next generation of Apple Foundation models would be based on Gemini models. |
| March 2026 | Project "Campo" aka the new Siri app revealed, which will replace the current Siri interface. Apple has also stopped developing separate chatbots for Safari, Health, and other apps. Everything will be unified through a single Siri layer. |
Are You Excited for the New Siri?
Apple's new Siri is finally coming and this time, it will be dramatically smarter and versatile. It's a standalone app, a system-wide agent, a Spotlight replacement, and a platform for third-party AI apps too. All of this is powered by Google's Gemini under the hood but without any visible branding.
That said, Apple has, in a way, conceded defeat that it's not in the AI race to build the most intelligent and capable AI model. It's now trying to build the best AI experience using third-party models, deep OS-level integration, convenience, and distribution.
ChatGPT or Claude can't have deep access to iOS, or can access your photos, emails, calendar, etc. to control your device. That's the advantage Siri has and Apple is trying to make money from services and stay ahead in the AI game. Now, it will be interesting to see whether this bet pays off in the long run.
