Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) shares pared gains Wednesday afternoon after reports of delays to the tech giant's ambitious Siri virtual assistant upgrade. The stock had traded up 2% earlier in the session but moderated to a 0.9% gain by afternoon trading. The latest Siri revamp has encountered testing difficulties in recent weeks, potentially delaying several highly anticipated features.

Apple had initially planned to include the new capabilities in iOS 26.4, an operating system update scheduled for March. However, according to Bloomberg News, citing people familiar with the matter, the company is now working to distribute these features across future updates. This development could push back the release of at least some features until iOS 26.5, expected in May, or even iOS 27, slated for September.

The setbacks represent another chapter in Apple's extended effort to modernize Siri, which was first announced in June 2024. Despite the reported delays, investor reaction remained relatively muted, with shares maintaining modest gains. The development highlights ongoing challenges in Apple's AI strategy as the company works to catch up with competitors in the virtual assistant space.