WASHINGTON: Apple is preparing to release a developer beta of its redesigned voice assistant, a Siri upgrade internally dubbed “Siri 2.0,” with new “smart agent” capabilities beginning the week of February 23 as part of the iOS 26.4 software update. The company is expected to follow with a public beta in March, ahead of a broader release later in March or early April, bringing long-promised Siri improvements to early testers on iPhone.
The Siri update is designed to handle more complex, multi-step tasks by using personal context and carrying out actions within and across apps. Apple has described the upgrade as adding deeper awareness of what a user is doing, what is on the screen, and what is relevant in personal content, enabling Siri to complete requests that previously required manual steps. The features are built to work with user information such as messages, calendars, and photos, with safeguards intended to limit data exposure.
Apple first previewed a more capable Siri as part of Apple Intelligence, its generative AI system introduced in June 2024. At that time, Apple said Siri would become more natural and contextually relevant, adding the option to type to Siri and switch between text and voice during the same request. Apple also outlined future Siri abilities that rely on personal context and stronger app controls, positioning the assistant as a more active interface for day-to-day tasks across the iPhone.
In March 2025, Apple said it would take longer than expected to deliver the “more personalized Siri” features, including greater awareness of personal context and the ability to take action within and across apps. The company said it anticipated rolling out those capabilities in the coming year, extending a timeline that had originally pointed to a 2025 release. The planned iOS 26.4 beta marks the first major step toward delivering those delayed Siri functions.
New smart agent capabilities
Apple has framed the redesigned Siri as an evolution from answering questions to completing actions. The updated assistant is expected to combine personal context, on-screen understanding, and deeper in-app controls so it can follow through on requests that span multiple apps, such as locating specific information and using it to complete a task. Apple has also said Siri will be able to understand references to what a user is viewing, such as acting on details that appear in a conversation or in an app screen.
The Siri work is tied to broader approach to AI processing and privacy. Apple has said Apple Intelligence is built with on-device processing as the default and can extend to Private Cloud Compute when a request requires larger models, while maintaining privacy protections designed to prevent user data from being stored or used for advertising. Apple has also said it has never used Siri data to build marketing profiles and has not sold Siri data.
Privacy and platform rollout
In January 2026, Apple and Google announced a multi-year collaboration under which the next generation of Apple Foundation Models will be based on Google’s Gemini models and cloud technology. The companies said the models will help power future Apple Intelligence features, including a more personalized Siri in 2026, while Apple Intelligence continues to run on Apple devices and Private Cloud Compute. Apple has positioned the partnership as a way to strengthen model capability while keeping its privacy architecture in place.
The beta release is expected to give developers and testers early access to Siri’s new behaviors as Apple continues its iOS 26 update cycle. Apple’s developer release track has already moved through recent iOS 26 point updates, and the iOS 26.4 beta is set to become a focal test build because it introduces changes to Siri’s core interaction model and app-level actions. Apple has also been expanding Apple Intelligence integration across the system, including deeper use in Shortcuts and other built-in tools.
Apple has also made leadership changes around its AI organization ahead of the Siri rollout. In December 2025, Apple announced that John Giannandrea would step down as senior vice president for Machine Learning and AI Strategy and serve as an advisor before retiring in spring 2026. Apple said Amar Subramanya joined as vice president of AI, reporting to Craig Federighi, and would lead areas including Apple Foundation Models, machine learning research, and AI safety and evaluation.
The iOS 26.4 developer beta is expected to begin the week of February 23, with the public beta in March and a wider release later in March or early April. Apple’s planned Siri changes center on personal context, on-screen awareness, and cross-app actions, shifting Siri toward an assistant that can complete tasks instead of only responding to prompts, while keeping Apple Intelligence grounded in on-device processing and Private Cloud Compute. – By Content Syndication Services.