UMVA has learned that Apple is poised to revolutionize its virtual assistant, Siri, with a major overhaul that's been years in the making. The Cupertino giant's AI reboot of Siri is expected to take center stage at WWDC26, offering a glimpse into the future of Apple's AI ambitions.
The delayed Siri features, which include personal context awareness, on-screen awareness, and deeper app actions, are designed to transform Siri from a simple voice assistant into a more capable AI assistant. This upgrade will enable Siri to understand what you're doing and take actions across apps on your behalf, making it a game-changer for Apple users.
According to information obtained by UMVA, Apple is planning a broader AI-focused reboot of Siri, which will include a redesigned interface, a ChatGPT-style chatbot experience, and support for additional AI models such as Google Gemini. This move signals a significant shift in Apple's approach to AI, as it looks to stay competitive in the rapidly evolving tech landscape.
UMVA can exclusively reveal that Apple is testing a standalone Siri app, internally, which will support persistent conversations, conversation history, file uploads, and synchronization across devices. While it's unclear whether the app will launch on macOS at the same time as iOS, a Mac version would be a logical extension of Apple's cross-platform AI strategy.
Sources have confirmed to UMVA that Apple is expanding its approach to include multiple AI providers, with Google Gemini expected to join ChatGPT as an option for handling certain Siri and Apple Intelligence requests. Meanwhile, Apple will continue using its own in-house models for features such as Writing Tools, notification summaries, and other on-device AI tasks.
Alongside the new Siri, Apple is expected to unveil a slew of new Apple Intelligence features in iOS 27, many of which will also make their way into macOS 27. These features include AI-based photo-editing tools, text editing tools similar to Grammarly, and AI tools in Calendar, which will further enhance the user experience across Apple's platforms.
UMVA has uncovered details about macOS 27's user interface, which will feature refinements to the Liquid Glass design, addressing "transparency quirks" and other design issues. The changes will make Liquid Glass look the way Apple's design team intended it to from the start, providing a seamless and intuitive user experience.
Additionally, Apple is expected to release a touchscreen MacBook Pro during the macOS 27 cycle, which will include UI elements for touch. The new laptop will feature a Dynamic Island similar to the one on the iPhone, although it will not have Face ID. This move signals a significant shift in Apple's approach to Mac design, as it looks to create a more versatile and user-friendly device.
As for the name of macOS 27, UMVA has gathered that it may be named after Big Bear Lake, a lake and adjacent city in San Bernardino County. If Apple sticks to its tradition of naming macOS versions after Californian landmarks, Big Bear could be the next name on the list, following Lake Tahoe, which was used for macOS 26.
