Apple is gearing up for a significant upgrade to Siri on iPhones, with potential changes on the horizon. This article explores what those upgrades might entail, their connection to iOS 26.4, expected release timelines, and overall improvements.
Potential Upgrades to Siri on iPhone
The planned Siri upgrade aims to move beyond simple voice commands and generic answers. The assistant should be able to draw on personal data and what’s on your screen to complete tasks, which is the kind of everyday help Apple has promised for years.
Specifically, prototype code hints at improvements to intent understanding and more relevant answers surfaced through system search, potentially building outward from Spotlight. Strings like “SpotlightPersonalAnswersSiri,” “SpotlightSearchToolLLMQueryUnderstanding,” and “SpotlightExtSemanticSearch” were found in an early iOS 26 build. Other rumored upgrades to iPhone features include live translation for phone calls.
Connection Between Siri Upgrades and iOS 26.4
The rollout of the Siri upgrade appears to be tied to iOS 26.4. According to Bloomberg, Apple has been planning to showcase the upgraded assistant, with iOS 26.4 expected to enter beta testing next month and ship publicly in March or early April.
To get those capabilities into iOS 26.4 on this schedule, Apple reportedly needed Google’s Gemini. Internally, Apple has labeled the system Apple Foundation Models version 10, which helps it read as a homegrown leap even with outside technology involved.
Expected Release of iOS 26.4
As mentioned above, iOS 26.4 is expected to enter beta testing next month (as of January 2026, per the article) and ship publicly in March or early April. However, it's important to note that an early iOS 26 build from an iPhone prototype reportedly leaked last week, and MacRumors says it exposes internal feature flags tied to Apple’s future work. The source also frames it as a June 2025-era snapshot, so the safest way to treat it is as planning signals and not a launch promise.
Potential Improvements and Changes
With the upgrade to iOS 26, you can expect to improve Phone, Camera, and Messages. A new view combines favorite contacts, recent calls and voicemails into a single, scrollable window”. The Camera app is eyeing a revamp that focuses on simplicity. Messages users will finally be able to start polls in the app, a feature that has been available in competing communication apps for years. Users will finally be able to start polls in the app, a feature that has been available in competing communication apps for years. The company will also allow users to set custom backgrounds for their chats, following in the footsteps of Instagram DMs and WhatsApp.
Once the iOS 26.4 beta lands, the tell won’t be marketing language. It’ll be whether the assistant can take action with personal context, not just recognize it, and whether it keeps working after the tenth try.
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