'After years of waiting, iPhone users deserve nothing less': 5 things Gemini-powered Siri needs to do to save Apple from AI irrelevance

Date:
Mon, 26 Jan 2026 14:45:12 +0000

Description:
Siri has been the iPhones biggest frustration for years, but a massive new partnership between Apple and Google is about to change that.

FULL STORY ======================================================================

For years now, Siri has felt like the weak link in Apples otherwise slick ecosystem. While ChatGPT, Gemini, and even Alexa have surged ahead, Apples voice assistant has mostly stood still, promising big things but never actually fulfilling them.

Thats finally starting to change, however, as Apple and Google have entered into a long-term partnership where Siri will be powered by Gemini .

According to Bloombergs Mark Gurman , Apple could reveal its long-awaited Gemini-powered Siri upgrade as soon as February 2026 (next month), and that could mean huge things for the iPhone in a year where the Cupertino-based company looks to revolutionize its smartphone lineup with more powerful products and maybe even a foldable screen.

As someone whos used Gemini on Android for months now, this is genuinely exciting. But confirmation alone isnt enough. If Apple wants this to be the Siri reset iPhone users have been waiting for, here are five things I really want to see when it finally arrives. 1. A Siri that can actually hold a conversation (Image credit: Future)

Right now, Siri still feels transactional. You ask a question, you get an answer, and the conversation ends. Ask a follow-up, and its a coin toss whether Siri remembers what you were talking about in the first place.

If Apple is plugging Gemini into Siri, that has to change. Gemini already handles conversational context well. It understands follow-ups, clarifications, and vague human language without needing you to repeat yourself like a robot.

If I ask for restaurant recommendations and then say book the second one,
Siri should just get it. In 2026, with AI assistants capable of booking flights a reality, this should be the bare minimum for a Gemini-powered Siri. 2. Real help with real tasks (Image credit: Getty Images)

Siri has always been fine at trivia and timers, and while that was enough in 2011, it's not anymore.

A Gemini-powered Siri should help you do things, not just answer questions
you could simply use Google Search for. Planning trips, summarizing emails, organizing your day, and making sense of information across apps should all
be on the table, and I genuinely think that's the absolute minimum.

Gemini already does this in apps like Gmail, which is why my expectations are high. If Siri cant help me plan a weekend away using my calendar, messages, and location data, then somethings gone wrong.

This is Apples chance to turn Siri into a genuine personal assistant, and I'm hoping once Gemini enters the fray, it'll just be the beginning of a Google AI-powered iPhone capable of streamlining my life. 3. Intelligence without ignoring privacy

Apple leaning on Google for AI will understandably make some people nervous. Privacy is still Apples biggest selling point, and it cannot afford to fumble that trust now, especially when it's the main reason the company has gotten away with being behind in the AI race for so long.

The good news is Apple has already laid the groundwork with on-device processing and Private Cloud Compute. The Gemini-powered Siri needs to feel just as safe with clear explanations of what data is used, when it leaves
your device, and how its protected.

The experience should feel private by default, not something you need to opt out of, and if Apple gets this right, it could end up being the most privacy-conscious AI assistant on the market. 4. Memory, memory, memory
(Image credit: Shutterstock)

In my opinion, memory is one of the most important features of any AI
chatbot, and if you live in the UK like me, you'll know Google still hasn't fully launched Gemini's memory functionality across the pond.

I'm hoping Apple's Gemini-powered Siri can remember everything I do on my device while still operating within Apple's industry-leading privacy bubble.

I know I've mentioned memory across multiple sections in this article, but I truly believe Apple could win the hearts of every AI-sceptic if it were able to create the ultimate personal assistant in your pocket - one that's capable of remembering where you had breakfast, when your next meeting is, and what the last movie you saw at the cinema was.

Apple can play into its privacy-first approach to make AI memory impressive rather than creepy, and if it does, I'll be convinced about Apple
Intelligence again. 5. Siri that finally understands the Apple ecosystem

Siri never actually feels connected to your experience on an Apple device.
For years, it has just been an extra on top of iOS or iPadOS, which often feels like a gimmick more than a useful tool.

A Gemini-powered Siri should understand that your iPhone, Mac, iPad, Watch, and Apple TV are all part of the same life. Context should carry over between devices, and everything should sync seamlessly.

If I start a conversation on my iPhone, I should be able to continue it on my Mac without starting from scratch. If Siri knows what Im doing on one device, it should use that knowledge on another.

This is where Apple can really shine. No one else controls hardware,
software, and services the way Apple does. A smarter Siri should finally
bring all of that together. The Siri we've been waiting for is just around
the corner (Image credit: Apple / Shutterstock / mundissima)

Apple confirming a Gemini-powered Siri is a big deal, but its also an admission that the company needs to do better. Apple knows it fell behind,
but 2026 could be the year it rectifies the wrongs.

If Apple nails these five things, Siri could go from being a punchline to being one of the best AI assistants you can use. Not because its the flashiest, but because its the most useful in everyday life.

After years of waiting, iPhone users deserve nothing less.

Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds. Make sure to click the
Follow button!

And of course you can also follow TechRadar on TikTok for news, reviews, unboxings in video form, and get regular updates from us on WhatsApp too.



======================================================================
Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/ai-platforms-assistants/apple-intelligence/after-yea rs-of-waiting-iphone-users-deserve-nothing-less-5-things-gemini-powered-siri-n eeds-to-do-to-save-apple-from-ai-irrelevance


--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A49 (Linux/64)
* Origin: tqwNet Technology News (1337:1/100)