Apple unveils new version of Siri digital assistant

Apple has introduced Siri AI, a new version of its digital assistant. This launch is part of its upcoming software updates, including iOS 27. The company shared the news on its website on Monday, following its Worldwide Developers Conference 2026 in California. Developer testing will start right away.

A public beta, which is a pre-release version of the software, is set for next month. This will come before the wider rollout later this year.

"The new features are available for testing starting today through the Apple Developer Program at developer.apple.com, and a public beta will be available through the Apple Beta Software Program next month at beta.apple.com," Apple stated.

Siri AI is expected to add new artificial intelligence features, better parental controls, and overall performance improvements across Apple devices. The software updates will also bring new parental-control tools to help families create safer online experiences for kids.

Parents will be able to set up child accounts with age-appropriate settings. They can approve new contacts, manage access to websites and apps, and set daily time limits for activities like entertainment, games, and social media. A feature called ‘Communication Safety’ will help block violent and graphic content for children, according to Apple.

"Apple products are an essential part of people’s lives, and this year we’re bringing powerful new capabilities to empower our users in even more ways," said Craig Federighi, Apple’s Senior Vice President of Software Engineering, during the announcement.

Features

Apple mentioned that Siri AI is integrated across its devices, including the iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, and Apple Vision Pro. The assistant can understand what is on a user’s screen, search messages, emails, and photos based on personal context. It can perform actions across apps and access the web for up-to-date information to generate responses.

Apple also launched a dedicated Siri app. This app will let users revisit past conversations or start new ones while keeping conversation history private across devices using iCloud.

The company shared that apps on the iPhone and iPad can now launch up to 30 percent faster. Photos will load up to 70 percent faster after being taken, and AirDrop transfers can be 80 percent faster. The search function in Spotlight, Photos, and Mail has also been revamped for better reliability and efficiency.

Apple’s Liquid Glass design will allow users to change the look of the interface from ultra-clear to fully tinted through new settings. Other new features include tracking for perimenopause and menopause in the Health app, custom EQ settings for AirPods, improved Flyover experiences in Apple Maps, and full-resolution sharing through iCloud Shared Albums.