Apple just made a major announcement that changes everything about Siri. On January 12, 2026, Apple and Google revealed a multi-year partnership that brings Google's Gemini AI to power the next generation of Apple Intelligence features. This means Siri is getting a complete overhaul with cutting-edge AI technology.
If you've been waiting for Siri to finally become intelligent, this is the upgrade you've been hoping for. The new AI-powered Siri will understand context, remember your conversations, and handle complex tasks across your apps. Let's break down exactly how this works and what it means for your iPhone.
What Is Apple Intelligence?
Apple Intelligence is Apple's AI system built into iOS 26, iPadOS 26, and macOS. It powers features like Writing Tools, Image Playground, and notification summaries. Unlike other AI systems, Apple Intelligence runs mostly on your device or Apple's Private Cloud Compute servers to protect your privacy.
The system launched in 2024 but has been slow to roll out advanced features. The most significant missing piece? A truly intelligent Siri that can understand context and take actions across apps.
The Apple-Google Partnership: What Just Happened
Apple and Google just announced they're working together to build the future of Apple Intelligence. Here's the deal:
The Partnership Details:
- Multi-year collaboration between Apple and Google
- Google Gemini will power Apple Foundation Models
- Expected to cost Apple around $1 billion per year
- Announced January 12, 2026
- First major features rolling out in iOS 26.4 (March-April 2026)
Apple chose Google after careful evaluation of AI providers. The company also considered OpenAI (which already powers ChatGPT integration in iOS) and Anthropic. But Google's Gemini 3 Pro demonstrated superior performance in reasoning, coding, and creative tasks.
What Is Google Gemini?
Google Gemini is Google's most advanced AI model family. Gemini 3 Pro, the latest version, can:
- Understand text, images, audio, and video simultaneously
- Reason through complex problems step-by-step
- Write and debug code at expert levels
- Process up to 1 million tokens of context (roughly 700,000 words)
- Score PhD-level results on reasoning benchmarks
| Gemini Model | Purpose | Key Strength |
|---|---|---|
| Gemini 3 Pro | Most capable model | Advanced reasoning and multimodal understanding |
| Gemini 3 Deep Think | Complex problems | Extended thinking time for difficult tasks |
| Gemini 2.5 Flash | Fast responses | Speed and efficiency |
Gemini 3 Pro tops the LMArena Leaderboard with a score of 1501 Elo, making it one of the most intelligent AI models available today.
How the New Siri Will Work
The upgraded Siri launches with iOS 26.4 in spring 2026. Here's what changes:
Personal Context Understanding
Siri will remember information from your emails, messages, photos, and files. You can ask questions like:
- "When is my mother's flight arriving?"
- "What restaurant did Sarah recommend last week?"
- "Show me photos from the beach trip"
Siri pulls this information from across your apps without you specifying where to look.
On-Screen Awareness
The new Siri sees what's on your screen. This means you can:
- Ask about content you're viewing
- Take actions on screen elements
- Get help without describing everything in detail
Example: Looking at a restaurant on Safari? Just say "Make a reservation here for Friday."
Cross-App Actions
Siri will complete tasks across multiple apps automatically. You can say:
- "Send the presentation from my email to the team chat"
- "Add all my work meetings to my calendar"
- "Find photos of my dog and create a slideshow"
Siri handles the entire workflow without you opening each app.
Natural Conversation
The new Siri maintains context throughout conversations. You don't need to repeat information or start over if you add details. It remembers what you're talking about.
Apple Intelligence Features in iOS 26
iOS 26 brings over 20 new AI-powered features beyond Siri upgrades:
Communication Features
| Feature | What It Does |
|---|---|
| Live Translation | Automatic translation in Messages, FaceTime, and Phone calls |
| Message Backgrounds | Create custom conversation backgrounds with AI |
| Natural Language Search | Find messages using everyday language |
| Poll Suggestions | Auto-generate polls based on conversations |
Visual Intelligence
Visual Intelligence now works with screenshots and your camera:
- Take a screenshot and ask ChatGPT questions about it
- Search for products in images
- Create calendar events from posters or flyers
- Translate menus and signs in real-time
Creative Tools
- Image Playground: Generate images from text descriptions
- Genmoji: Mix multiple emoji to create custom designs
- ChatGPT Styles: Additional artistic styles for image creation
- Custom Facial Expressions: Modify faces in generated images
Productivity Upgrades
iOS 26 adds intelligent features across built-in apps:
- Auto-categorizing reminders organize your lists automatically
- Apple Maps provides upgraded AI-powered search
- Shortcuts can access AI models directly
- Apple Wallet tracks orders from your email
Privacy and Security: How Your Data Stays Protected
Apple and Google both confirmed that Apple Intelligence maintains strict privacy standards:
Privacy Protections:
- AI features run on your iPhone whenever possible
- Complex tasks use Apple's Private Cloud Compute
- Google doesn't receive your personal data
- No information used for training AI models
- End-to-end encryption for sensitive features
Google will provide the AI models and cloud infrastructure, but Apple controls how data flows through the system. This is similar to how ChatGPT integration works today—the service helps without accessing your personal information.
When Will These Features Be Available?
Here's the rollout timeline:
| Timeline | What's Available |
|---|---|
| Now (January 2026) | Current Apple Intelligence features in iOS 26 |
| March-April 2026 | New AI-powered Siri with iOS 26.4 |
| Throughout 2026 | Additional features and language support |
| Ongoing | Continuous improvements and updates |
Apple confirmed the upgraded Siri is "on track for 2026" after previous delays. The company originally promised these features in 2024 but ran into technical challenges.
Compatible Devices: What You Need
Not all iPhones support Apple Intelligence. You need:
Compatible iPhones:
- iPhone 16 series (all models)
- iPhone 17 series (all models)
- iPhone 15 Pro
- iPhone 15 Pro Max
Why These Models Only? Apple Intelligence requires significant processing power. These devices have:
- A17 Pro chip or newer
- At least 8GB of RAM
- Neural Engine for on-device AI processing
Older iPhones don't have the hardware to run these features smoothly.
How This Compares to Other AI Assistants
How does the new Siri stack up against competition?
| Feature | New Siri | Google Assistant | Alexa |
|---|---|---|---|
| Multimodal Understanding | Yes (Gemini 3 Pro) | Yes (Gemini) | Limited |
| Personal Context | Deep integration | Moderate | Basic |
| Privacy Focus | Very High | Moderate | Moderate |
| Cross-App Actions | Extensive | Limited to Google apps | Limited |
| On-Device Processing | Maximum | Partial | Cloud-based |
The combination of Apple's ecosystem integration with Google's AI capabilities creates a unique advantage. Siri gets cutting-edge intelligence while maintaining Apple's privacy standards.
Why Apple Chose Google Over Other Options
Apple evaluated multiple AI providers before choosing Google:
Why Gemini Won:
- Superior performance on reasoning benchmarks
- Strong multimodal capabilities (text, image, audio, video)
- Proven track record with billions of users
- Advanced coding and mathematics abilities
- Reliable cloud infrastructure
Apple also has a ChatGPT integration, but that powers different features. Gemini becomes the foundation for Apple's own AI models rather than just an add-on service.
Common Questions About the Partnership
Does Google get access to my data? No. Apple confirmed that intelligence features run on Apple devices and Private Cloud Compute while maintaining Apple's privacy standards.
Will this replace ChatGPT integration? No. ChatGPT remains available for specific features like image generation and Writing Tools. Gemini powers the underlying intelligence layer.
How much is Apple paying Google? Reports suggest around $1 billion annually, though neither company confirmed the exact amount.
Can I opt out? Yes. You can turn off Apple Intelligence features in Settings → Apple Intelligence & Siri.
What This Means for the Future
This partnership signals a major shift in Apple's AI strategy. Instead of building everything in-house, Apple is partnering with leaders in AI technology.
Long-Term Implications:
- Faster feature rollouts as Apple leverages proven technology
- Continued competition between AI providers benefits users
- Apple maintains control over user experience and privacy
- Google strengthens its position in the AI market
The partnership extends beyond Siri. Apple Foundation Models powered by Gemini will support future Apple Intelligence features across all platforms.
Getting Ready for the New Siri
Want to prepare for the upgraded Siri? Here's what to do:
- Update to iOS 26: Make sure you're running the latest version
- Check device compatibility: Verify your iPhone supports Apple Intelligence
- Enable Apple Intelligence: Go to Settings → Apple Intelligence & Siri
- Try current features: Get familiar with existing AI tools
- Organize your data: Siri works better with well-organized information
The more you use your iPhone naturally, the more context Siri will have when the upgrade arrives.
The Bottom Line
Apple's partnership with Google brings world-class AI technology to your iPhone while maintaining the privacy and integration you expect from Apple. The new Siri launching in spring 2026 represents the biggest upgrade to Apple's voice assistant in over a decade.
This isn't just a minor improvement. Siri is becoming a truly intelligent assistant that understands your needs, remembers your preferences, and takes actions across your entire device. Combined with the 20+ new AI features in iOS 26, your iPhone is about to get significantly smarter.
The wait for intelligent Siri is almost over. Get ready for an AI assistant that finally lives up to the promise.