Apple is planning two major Siri upgrades, with a personalized LLM Siri arriving in iOS 26.4 before a full chatbot transformation in iOS 27. According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, the chatbot will be embedded deeply at the system level, activated by voice or text, and capable of web searches, image generation, and complex multi-step tasks across Apple's core apps.

This shift is a direct response to the explosive popularity of chatbots like ChatGPT and Google's Gemini integration on Android. Apple initially resisted a standalone chatbot, but competitive pressure has forced a strategic pivot. The company is partnering with Google, using its Gemini models and cloud infrastructure to power the new features, with a potential annual cost of around $1 billion.

The chatbot's capabilities will include analyzing on-screen content, controlling device settings, and searching personal data, potentially replacing Spotlight. However, Apple must solve the interface challenge, as the chatbot won't be a standalone app. A new, more animated visual design is also in the works, potentially debuting with the iOS 27 revamp at WWDC in June 2026.