Washington: Apple's initiative to launch an enhanced version of Siri, which includes features from Apple Intelligence, may face delays due to engineering challenges and software issues.
As reported by Mac Rumours, the company is encountering difficulties in preparing the new capabilities for the forthcoming iOS 18.4 update.
Initial reports indicated that Apple intended to unveil the updated Siri functionalities with the iOS 18.4 release, but with the first beta anticipated to be released next week, it seems that Siri will not be ready in time.
Apple has already announced that Apple Intelligence will support additional languages in April, coinciding with the expected launch of the iOS 18.4 update.
This setback could result in some features being postponed until May, with Apple possibly aiming to include them in an iOS 18.5 update, according to Mac Rumours.
Apple has committed to delivering three significant Apple Intelligence features for Siri, which include enhanced personal context for improved understanding and response to requests, increased functionality within and between applications, and on-screen awareness to address requests related to visible content.
Employees involved in testing the new Siri features have reportedly noted inconsistencies in performance.
Such a delay is atypical, as significant new features are rarely introduced as late as May, considering Apple's usual development timeline.
Mac Rumors reports indicate that Apple may introduce the features in iOS 18.4, but they could remain disabled by default as testing progresses toward iOS 18.5.
This implies that while the new functionality will be included in iOS 18.4, it will not be activated until a later version.
The initial beta for iOS 18.4 is anticipated to be released shortly; however, it is improbable that Siri will be part of this first beta due to the reported delays.
