iOS 26.4 Beta Launches Without Apple Intelligence Siri Features

Source: MacRumors

Overview

The first beta of iOS 26.4 is available to developers and public beta testers, but it includes no new Siri features. Expectations for Apple Intelligence‑enabled Siri updates were high because of long‑standing delays and persistent rumors that Apple was targeting an iOS 26.4 release. Those expectations will have to be postponed.

Timeline & Reports

• In March 2025, Apple announced a delay for the Apple Intelligence version of Siri.
• Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman later said Apple had set an internal launch target for iOS 26.4 and repeated that timeline in several subsequent reports.
• At the end of January, Gurman suggested Apple would unveil a more personalized Siri in February.

Delay Details

Gurman indicated that the Siri features will be spread across several upcoming iOS releases:

• Some or all of the new Siri capabilities could appear in iOS 26.5.
• Apple might instead wait for iOS 27, which is expected to be previewed at WWDC June 2026.

Apple first demonstrated the Apple Intelligence version of Siri at the 2024 Worldwide Developers Conference, originally slated for iOS 18. The required architectural upgrades have taken over a year, contributing to the delay.

Technical Challenges

• Siri is reportedly taking too long to respond to requests, and some queries are not processed correctly.
• Engineers are using iOS 26.5 for further Siri testing, so additional functionality could arrive in that update.
• There remains a possibility that new Siri features could appear in a later iOS 26.4 beta, though this is not guaranteed.

Feature Goals & Current Status

Apple aims to add:

• Personalization
• On‑screen awareness
• Expanded capabilities across and between apps

However, not all of these features are working reliably, and Apple continues to face accuracy issues.

Outlook

CNBC reported that the new version of Siri is still expected sometime in 2026. Apple has not provided a more specific timeline beyond the year, so there has been no official second delay—only disappointment relative to earlier rumors of an iOS 26.4 launch.

The broader iOS 26 launch could still occur as planned.