Apple Unveils 'Siri AI' and iOS 27 at WWDC 2026 in Tim Cook's Final Keynote

Apple's Biggest Siri Overhaul Since 2011

Apple used its Worldwide Developers Conference keynote on Monday to debut the most ambitious overhaul of Siri since the assistant first launched in 2011. Rebranded as 'Siri AI', the assistant has been rebuilt from the ground up around Apple Intelligence and is powered in part by a collaboration with Google's Gemini AI models. The announcement, delivered from Apple Park in Cupertino, also marked CEO Tim Cook's final WWDC keynote before he hands leadership to hardware chief John Ternus on 1 September.

A New Siri, Built Like a Chatbot

The new Siri can engage in natural back-and-forth conversations, retain context across interactions, and execute multi-step tasks spanning multiple apps — capabilities Apple first promised at WWDC 2024 but repeatedly delayed. For the first time, Siri exists as a standalone app where users can review past conversations, upload files and images, and interact via text or voice, positioning it as a direct competitor to ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini.

The assistant's interface has migrated to the Dynamic Island, appearing with a glowing animation and presenting responses as expandable cards. A new 'Search or Ask' prompt, accessed by swiping down from the top of the screen, combines Siri, Spotlight search, and third-party AI services into a single hub. Users can long-press the bar to switch to alternative providers, including ChatGPT and Gemini. On-screen awareness through Visual Intelligence lets Siri understand what users are viewing and act on it, while a new Camera app mode can scan nutrition labels and contact information.

iOS 27: Refinement Over Reinvention

Alongside Siri, Apple unveiled iOS 27, which prioritises performance, battery efficiency, and deeper AI integration over a visual redesign. The update introduces AI-powered photo editing tools — Extend, Enhance, and Reframe — for expanding backgrounds, improving lighting, and adjusting composition. The Camera app becomes fully customisable, and Apple Intelligence can now generate wallpapers and create Shortcuts from natural language prompts. The Liquid Glass design from iOS 26 remains, with Apple working on a system-wide opacity slider.

Compatibility and Release Timeline

The first developer beta became available immediately following Monday's keynote, with a public beta expected in July and a final release slated for September 2026. The full Siri AI experience is expected to require an iPhone 15 Pro or later due to its reliance on Apple Intelligence. Notably, the rebuilt Siri will not launch in the European Union or China at launch, reprising a regulatory standoff that has kept Apple's most advanced features from European users since 2024.