Apple Intelligence Upgrades for Siri Likely Pushed Back to iOS 18.5

[Cloudyskies22]

Spot-on. I think many people have no idea where Apple is going with AI and the massive scope that is involved. For starters, Apple is creating an AI server factory in Texas, as just one example. While many instead believing Apple's unique version of private/secure AI should have happened in a couple of months with a few dozen software engineers working on it in Cupertino.

Here's a hint: https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2025...llion-usd-in-the-us-over-the-next-four-years/

On-device and private is simply junk. There’s a very distinct reason the biggest largest companies are pouring literally hundreds of billions of dollars into giant and more and more data centers with more and more insanely powerful GPUs.

These models can only be run locally at a very very very gimped and near-useless state. It’s the collective monumental power of the huge server farms that get you truly powerfully AI these LLMs grant.

Apple once again chose the wrong path when it comes to AI. Now privacy absolutely has its place but not with AI because doing so makes it too weak to be useful. It’s one of the primary reasons Siri was always behind Google and Alexa before these LLMs even became a thing.

Now Apple will flail hopelessly as the big AI companies make gods in the cloud.

 

[citysnaps]

These models can only be run locally at a very very very gimped and near-useless state. It’s the collective monumental power of the huge server farms that get you truly powerfully AI these LLMs grant.

"Now Apple will flail hopelessly as the big AI companies make gods in the cloud."

It looks like you didn't read the story where Apple is investing $500 Billion, much of that in AI creating a server manufacturing facility in Texas. Whose servers will then be distributed over the US and other countries. All to implement Apple's private and secure AI structure.

 

[betasp]

Apple is already behind, and is playing catch-up. Other companies are investing just as much of not more than Apple.

I don't see them making it. At some point they are going to have to pivot and adopt Gemini or fully go all in with ChatGTP.

 

[johnsawyercjs]

People here have overwhelmingly said they don’t want Apple AI on their phones. Multiple times. What’s funny is they’re now taking Apple to task for not having it fully in place when the most recent iPhones were launched.

Sure, a lot of people don't want Apple AI on their iPhones, but that doesn't mean most iPhone users feel that way. Those who don't want it are vociferous about it, and so that may be why one might think they're in the majority. I understand their feelings about it, but those feelings are largely based on how bad it's been. I'd like to try Apple AI on my iPhone, but only if it works as Apple said it would.

Of those people who have said they don't want Apple AI on their iPhones, I don't think there are many who have reversed course and now want it, and are disappointed it wasn't ready for the newer iPhones. It's more likely that a subset of anti-Apple AI people are simply needling Apple about Siri still not being ready, as a way to underline why they don't want it.

 

[johnsawyercjs]

I understand why image playground and genmoji were done first. Those are quick (relatively) hits that draw people in. In the same way Memoji was available with Face ID. It’s a showcase for the technology.

Sure, that's what I concluded when Apple released those first, but in thinking about it a little more, and seeing many people's reactions to Apple promoting them so much compared to Siri/Apple AI's promised productivity features, I realized that releasing the more fun parts of Apple AI first might not have been the best face to put forward, given that Apple did this right in the middle of all the coverage (whether or not all of it was well-deserved) about the amazing, useful things that ChatGPT and other AIs could do. OpenAI first released the text-based question-and-answer parts of ChatGPT, and only a little later did they begin introducing the generative AI imagery components. I think that gave OpenAI more gravitas and brought it more attention than if they'd done it the other way around.

 

[JohnC1959]

On-device and private is simply junk. There’s a very distinct reason the biggest largest companies are pouring literally hundreds of billions of dollars into giant and more and more data centers with more and more insanely powerful GPUs.

These models can only be run locally at a very very very gimped and near-useless state. It’s the collective monumental power of the huge server farms that get you truly powerfully AI these LLMs grant.

Apple once again chose the wrong path when it comes to AI. Now privacy absolutely has its place but not with AI because doing so makes it too weak to be useful. It’s one of the primary reasons Siri was always behind Google and Alexa before these LLMs even became a thing.

Now Apple will flail hopelessly as the big AI companies make gods in the cloud.

Yes you need powerful GPUs and lots of storage to run big LLMs, but what about when the total sum of the data is just what is stored on your phone? Use on phone processing to process data that is on phone and send requests for data not on the phone to powerful servers.

 

[citysnaps]

Sure, a lot of people don't want Apple AI on their iPhones, but that doesn't mean most iPhone users feel that way.

Absolutely true.

That's why I said in my post above: "People *here* have overwhelmingly said they don’t want Apple AI on their phones. Multiple times." Meaning people on MR.

Personally, I think many, including myself, will embrace it. It has already been gently sneaking in here and there over the last two years.

For example, being a photographer I have accumulated a huge number of photos in my iPhone photo library over the years. I can now create complex searches, such as "people and dogs" And it just works. Quickly.

 

[AgentOSX]

Siri is just getting worse and worse. I would accept it if it just stayed static, but on HomePods and CarPlay it is actually getting dumber.

Here is an exchange I have almost every day.

"Hey Siri get directions to X near me."
"I found three X's near you. The closest one is 2 miles to your east. Do you want that one?"
"Yes. Get directions."
"What do you want directions to?"
"Directions to X near me."
"I found three X's near you. The closes one is 2 miles to your east. Do you want that one?"
"yes."
"What do you want me to do? Get directions or call?"
"Get directions."
"What do you want directions to?"

 

[Howard2k]

Macrumors when Apple rushes stuff: torches and pitchforks.
Macrumors when Apple takes their time for stuff: torches and pitchforks.


I would strongly prefer they take their time on this AI stuff.

 

[Howard2k]

Apple Intelligence is a made up product. It just doesn’t exist. If it weren’t for OpenAI, Apple would be happily churning the same iPhone for another decade, and the only innovation would be the removal of the cable for Mother Nature.

lol. Tell us you don’t understand Apple Intelligence without, whatever. Clearly you don’t.

 

[MNJohn]

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman last month reported that Apple was considering delaying at least some of its promised Apple Intelligence enhancements for Siri until iOS 18.5, and that plan appears increasingly likely based on his latest information.

Gurman said Apple was initially planning to launch the Apple Intelligence enhancements for Siri in iOS 18.4, but it seems that the features have been pushed back until iOS 18.5 due to a lack of readiness and software bugs. Accordingly, none of the promised features are available in the first beta of iOS 18.4 released last month.

In his Power On newsletter today, he said the features will be available in iOS 18.5:Apple's software engineers have been internally testing iOS 18.5 since at least the start of February, according to the MacRumors visitor logs.

Gurman expects iOS 18.5 to be released in May, but beta testing should begin sooner:It is still possible that some of the Siri upgrades could arrive in a later iOS 18.4 beta, but Gurman seems to be leaning into iOS 18.5 timing for now.

The upgrades coming to Siri will include on-screen awareness, understanding of a user's personal context, and deeper per-app controls. For example, during its WWDC 2024 keynote, Apple showed an iPhone user asking Siri about their mother's flight and lunch reservation plans based on info from the Mail and Messages apps.

Apple Intelligence requires an iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, or any iPhone 16 model.

Article Link: Apple Intelligence Upgrades for Siri Likely Pushed Back to iOS 18.5

Apple has had nearly two decades to fix their abysmal Siri voice recognition system to bring it up to the point where it actually makes sense to use it. And they haven't. Instead they focus resources on developing valueless AI apps that generate caricatures.

Apple is hopelessly lost.

 

[Howard2k]

Apple has had nearly two decades to fix their abysmal Siri voice recognition system to bring it up to the point where it actually makes sense to use it. And they haven't. Instead they focus resources on developing valueless AI apps that generate caricatures.

Apple is hopelessly lost.

The literal intent of the article is that Apple is working on AI / Siri integration. They’re not hopelessly lost, you just need to read the article.

 

[JohnC1959]

Apple has had nearly two decades to fix their abysmal Siri voice recognition system to bring it up to the point where it actually makes sense to use it. And they haven't. Instead they focus resources on developing valueless AI apps that generate caricatures.

Apple is hopelessly lost.

Personally I found the voice recognition aspect of Siri to work quite well. Where it's been lacking is in producing truly valuable and relevant responses. Now I can use ChatGPT for a lot of that now but where Siri can shine is doing what ChatGPT does but with data on my phone. It's got a ways to go but I do already appreciate being able to ask for things like photos of my dogs playing at the beach.

 

[BigDO]

You forgot about him wasting $10b on the car that never launched.

That’s actually one of the things he should be lauded for.

 

[svish]

Really disappointing to wait for a long time after the announcement. Unfortunately this seems to be happening frequently. Was eagerly waiting to try out the Siri with on screen awareness

 

[Compote]

Why don't iPhone 16 buyers feel dumb for backing up a product that's missing its core feature and will be supplanted by the iPhone 17 by the time Apple makes good on its promise to have a dumb voice who's always inside their phone?

You know instead of a dumb voice who "can't do that, you have to navigate the maze of settings to find a stupid toggle and I won't take you there or toggle it for you. You have to unlock your phone for me to tell you what the weather is."

 

[JohnC1959]

Why don't iPhone 16 buyers feel dumb for backing up a product that's missing its core feature and will be supplanted by the iPhone 17 by the time Apple makes good on its promise to have a dumb voice who's always inside their phone?

You know instead of a dumb voice who "can't do that, you have to navigate the maze of settings to find a stupid toggle and I won't take you there or toggle it for you. You have to unlock your phone for me to tell you what the weather is."

I view hardware and software as being somewhat related but otherwise very distinct. So I went from a 13 pro to a 16 pro because I wanted a few different enhancements and I figured I'd get the latest since it had the better components. Meanwhile software will evolve at its pace. I figure I'll likely next upgrade to the 19 pro (time will tell) which I assume will run AI and other things much better than the iPhone 17.

 

[Unregistered 4U]

It is shocking that Apple, one of the richest companies on the planet, can't get it together. Seriously, whats is the issue?

It is also shocking that Gurman has this much detail about this part of Apple’s software stack, but was only aware of the existence of “Invites” mere days before it was released.

 

[Unregistered 4U]

Gurman expects iOS 18.5 to be released in May, but beta testing should begin sooner:

WOAH, I’ve never heard of this beta testing thing happening before a release. But, Gurman says it, so I guess it must be true!

 

[garranhado]

It is shocking that Apple, one of the richest companies on the planet, can't get it together. Seriously, whats is the issue?

We known what happened to companies last 4 years… but we shouln’t talk about 🤐
Give it time to learn and improve.

 

[Boeingfan]

Siri is running late. You’d think she’d set herself a reminder. Maybe Alexa can show her how.

 

[Tagbert]

Apple is already behind, and is playing catch-up. Other companies are investing just as much of not more than Apple.

I don't see them making it. At some point they are going to have to pivot and adopt Gemini or fully go all in with ChatGTP.

As Deep Seek has shown, it is possible to ramp up a new LLM that can rival some of the big boys.

 

[hagjohn]

The issue is, getting a reliable, fully functioning, private and largely on device model is REALLY hard. The other companies that are doing this are using online LLMs that get dumped large quantities of private information to analyse.
Doing this on device, and with apples decades long and proven approach of doing it the right way, even if it’s not as ‘good’, takes time to perfect.

Don’t like it, go buy from another company!

I trust apple to do what is right. Because they have demonstrated, for decades, that this is their driving force.

If Apple couldn't deliver these items, then they should not have promised them.

 

[jwernz15]

Those who bought the 16 line expecting Apple Intelligence should file a class action lawsuit at this point.

 

[Compote]

I view hardware and software as being somewhat related but otherwise very distinct. So I went from a 13 pro to a 16 pro because I wanted a few different enhancements and I figured I'd get the latest since it had the better components. Meanwhile software will evolve at its pace. I figure I'll likely next upgrade to the 19 pro (time will tell) which I assume will run AI and other things much better than the iPhone 17.

I view software and hardware as one, because that's what Apple is selling. Apple advertised an AI-enabled phone, and 6 months later after release, we're told the AI features have been pushed back. That was false advertising and Apple was selling features that won't be ready by the time the 17 comes out.

If I wanted to invest in vaporware on a "we'll do it eventually" basis, I'd buy Apple stock.

Apple sold you stock. It said "AI AI AI" so the stock wouldn't go down, and the clients bought it, and helped maintain stock value. Problem is, you're not getting stock, you're not getting dividends, and you lost your money and are left with a phone that lost a year's worth.

I consider this stealing, and they should be facing a class-action.