Apple engineers ‘concerned about new Siri’

Apple’s delayed rollout of its next-generation Siri has reportedly sparked concern among its own engineers, with internal sources claiming the company is struggling to perfect the voice assistant’s ambitious new features.

Apple’s delayed rollout of its next-generation Siri has reportedly sparked concern among its own engineers.

According to Bloomberg, the upgraded Siri – expected next year alongside a wider infrastructure overhaul – will be able to control iPhone apps entirely via voice, using an enhanced version of Apple’s App Intents system.

This would allow users to give hands-free instructions such as editing and sending a photo, commenting on social media posts, or adding items to a shopping cart without touching the screen.

While Apple showcased a similar capability at WWDC 2024, it has been pushed back amid fears about accuracy and compatibility.

According to the report, engineers are particularly worried about high-stakes scenarios, with one source noting that “there are worries about the software failing in categories where precision is non-negotiable, like in health or banking apps”.

Testing is reportedly underway with a limited set of third-party services including Uber, Amazon, YouTube, WhatsApp, and Facebook, alongside Apple’s own apps.

Sensitive categories may be excluded or given sharply limited functions at launch.

The delay has also supposedly forced Apple to push back related products, such as its planned smart display, which now isn’t expected until 2026 at the earliest.

Internally, the company’s global data operations team is said to be prioritising Siri testing to avoid further criticism over overpromising and under-delivering.

Apple has not commented publicly on the concerns, but the company is expected to heavily market the revamped Siri when it does arrive.

Industry insiders suggest the upgrade could give Apple’s ecosystem a long-awaited “voice-first” interface, if the technology is ready.

With iOS 26 nearing completion ahead of the iPhone 17 launch in September, attention will be on whether Apple can deliver the next-gen Siri on schedule in spring 2026, and whether it can win back user trust in an AI race dominated by rivals like Google and OpenAI.