Apple could launch its overhauled Siri experience as a beta feature in iOS 27, signaling that the long-delayed assistant may still be considered a work in progress when it arrives later this year.
According to Mark Gurman, early builds of iOS 27 currently apply the beta tag to the new Siri interface. The software also includes a settings toggle that allows users to opt out of the test phase entirely. Gurman says the label could remain in place throughout the developer cycle and continue when the OS launches this fall.
The comprehensive Siri rewrite was originally expected to debut as part of Apple's initial Apple Intelligence rollout. However, the project suffered major delays after engineers encountered repeated performance issues during testing.
Using a beta label for Siri would mark a return to an earlier Apple strategy. When the company introduced Siri alongside the iPhone 4S in 2011, the voice assistant launched as a beta product and retained that classification until Apple removed it with iOS 7 in 2013.
The cautious rollout contrasts with the rapid pace of AI development across the industry, where companies including Google and OpenAI have aggressively expanded conversational AI capabilities.