After more than two years of setbacks, Apple is finally expected to ship a Gemini-powered version of Siri — likely via the iOS 26.5 developer beta arriving around March 30.

A Long Time Coming

Apple first promised a "more personalized Siri" at WWDC 2024, then officially delayed those features in March 2025 with a statement that it would "take us longer than we thought." The enhancements were then retargeted for iOS 26.4 — but slipped again. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has since reported that iOS 26.5 is now the primary vehicle for Gemini integration.

The iOS 26.4 Release Candidate shipped on March 18. Based on Apple's typical software cadence — roughly five to seven days between an RC and the start of the next beta cycle — the first iOS 26.5 developer beta is expected around March 30.

What Gemini Brings to Siri

The integration stems from a strategic partnership Apple signed with Google in early 2025. Rather than running Gemini directly as a chatbot, Apple is using it to power cross-app actions and on-screen awareness in Siri — the "Personal Intelligence" features originally unveiled two years ago. Local processing and Private Cloud Compute are expected to preserve Apple's privacy standards.

What's at Stake

iOS 26.5 is positioned as a stability release before the iOS 27 cycle kicks off at WWDC in June. Features that miss the 26.5 window will likely wait until fall. That makes the upcoming beta a critical milestone: it's the last realistic checkpoint for Apple to deliver on its long-standing AI promises before the next developer conference.