According to Mashable, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reports that Apple is planning to unveil its Gemini-powered Siri overhaul in the second half of February 2025, giving demonstrations of the new functionality. The announcement, which could be a major event or a smaller briefing, comes after Apple’s partnership with Google was revealed earlier this month. The upgraded Siri, which should finally be able to use personal data and on-screen content, is expected to get some features via an iOS 26 update this spring, with the full, chatbot-style experience launching with iOS 27 in the fall. This move is a key part of Apple’s delayed AI ambitions, with Google stating its technology provides the “most capable foundation” for Apple’s models.
The strange bedfellows deal
Here’s the thing that still blows my mind: Apple is using Google’s tech for this. I mean, these are the two giants that have been fighting the smartphone platform war for over a decade. But it’s a brutally pragmatic move. Apple’s in-house AI efforts clearly lagged, and they needed a top-tier model, fast. Google gets its Gemini tech into billions of iOS devices, which is a massive win for adoption and mindshare. It’s basically an admission that in the current AI race, building the best foundational model is harder than integrating it. So why not let Google do the heavy lifting? The partnership tweet from Google, which you can see here, is masterfully corporate—framing it as Apple choosing the “most capable” option after “careful evaluation.” Ouch, but probably true.
What this actually means for you
Forget the corporate chess game. What does this mean when you pick up your iPhone later this year? Basically, Siri should stop feeling so dumb. The promise of it understanding context from your screen and your data is huge. Asking “how do I get there?” while looking at an address in a text should actually work. The spring update to iOS 26 will likely be the first taste—maybe some specific, controlled features. But the fall’s iOS 27 is where it gets real. That’s when Siri will probably transform into the conversational, proactive assistant we were promised… well, over a decade ago. The big question is how “Apple” they can make it feel. Will it just be a Gemini voice interface, or will Apple’s famed focus on privacy and integration create something uniquely useful? I’m skeptical but curious.
The long game and the risks
Now, let’s talk strategy. This feels like a stopgap, doesn’t it? Apple is not a company that likes to depend on a rival for a core technology. You can bet they have armies of engineers working on their own next-gen models right now. This Gemini deal buys them time—maybe two or three years—to catch up without completely falling out of the AI conversation. But it’s risky. It cedes a lot of ground to Google in the consumer AI space. And what happens if the integration is clunky, or if there are privacy snafus? Apple’s brand is built on seamless, in-house control. Outsourcing the brains of your digital assistant is a seismic shift. They’re betting that a good Siri now is better than a perfect, homegrown Siri in 2027. They’re probably right, but it’s a fascinating surrender in one key arena of the tech war.
