Apple readies dramatic Siri overhaul for WWDC 2026, reportedly powered by Google Gemini

Apple is preparing what multiple reports describe as the most dramatic Siri overhaul since the assistant's 2011 launch, set for unveiling at WWDC 2026 (kickoff June 9). The new Siri is expected to handle multi-step tasks, remember user preferences across sessions, and integrate deeply with on-screen content and third-party apps. Bloomberg and Mark Gurman's reporting, echoed by CNET and AppleInsider, indicate that Apple has chosen Google's Gemini as the primary backing model — with options for users to swap in third-party AI services — rather than its own on-device models for the heavy-lift agentic queries.

Product-wise: a dedicated Siri app is expected, plus a new interface accessible from the Dynamic Island, and new AI-powered photo editing features tied into Apple Intelligence. AppleInsider notes Apple is simultaneously doubling down on on-device AI at WWDC — suggesting a hybrid architecture where lightweight queries stay on-device and heavyweight agentic queries route to Gemini in Google's cloud.

The partnership story has a sharp edge. Bloomberg separately reported May 29 that OpenAI is weighing legal action against Apple over a stalled ChatGPT integration that was announced with fanfare in 2024 but, per OpenAI, was never adequately shipped. The dispute coincides with jury deliberations in Elon Musk's lawsuit over OpenAI's nonprofit charter — making it a particularly fraught moment for OpenAI's legal calendar. If the Gemini deal is real, it means Apple chose Google over OpenAI for the most important AI surface on its platform.

Competitive context: this would be Google's biggest distribution win in years (Gemini reaching ~2 billion iPhone users) and a major loss for OpenAI's consumer ambitions. Skeptical takes: Apple's track record on shipping ambitious WWDC AI demos is mixed (the 2024 Apple Intelligence rollout slipped repeatedly). Watch the June 9 keynote.