iOS 26.2 Lets iPhone Users in Japan Replace Siri With Third-Party Assistants on Side Button

[sloheim]

I can already do this. Mine is programmed to open Copilot when I long-press it. Been like this since last year.

 

[TheDauterive]

As much as I hate Siri, it's should be up to Apple to let people replace Siri, not pressured by laws.

It should be up to the owner of the phone to replace Siri. It's a shame that Apple will only listen to consumers when compelled to by law, but unfortunately we have to speak to Apple in the only language it understands.

 

[buzz0]

why Japan, what did I miss?

new law about phone OS&software coming next month in Japan.
iOS 26.2 is for it.

 

[germanbeer007]

If it were simply up to Apple, consumers would not be given a choice to replace Siri.

then they have the choice to replace iPhone.

 

[germanbeer007]

It should be up to the owner of the phone to replace Siri.

they do have that option. it's called: android.

 

[TwoBytes]

I hope there is backlash from the rest of the world and Apple allow everyone to choose the assistant. It's not fair to allow some paces and not others.

 

[Jeeve Stubbs]

I think downloading your favorite IA assistant to replace Siri on your new iPhone will become like downloading Chrome to replace Safari/Edge as soon as you get a new Mac/PC.

 

[robvalentine]

Siri is SUPER usable as an assistant. For a limited number of tasks. Sometimes those tasks are all that's needed, therefore Siri meets the bill.

Have you tried assistants on other devices and had greater success, or just had a poor experience with Siri?

A year from now, we'll be living in a whole new world where Siri is the gold standard. Patience will be rewarded.

I’ve been on android for the last 2/3 years and just switched back to iPhone. The quality of the answers I get and if I ask Gemini to do something 9/10 it gets done. With Siri “switch on front door light” “you need to install the app for that” which means I then have to go to the apple home app and manually toggle the switch. Siri does manage to set timers I guess

 

[freezelighter]

Everything is better in Japan.

Glad I'm moving there from Switzerland.

 

[robinp]

You are already able to launch a third part smart assistant app via the action button(by mapping it to Shortcuts). The issue is that you are simply launching the app, and it won't be as deeply integrated with your device as Siri, so you can't use it to create calendar events or play music, for instance).

I suspect this will be something similar. Apple is not going to let iOS house multiple versions of smart assistants; it's probably just letting you map the power button to the respective app, the same way you can link the camera control button to third party camera apps like Halide.

Yes, I’m quite aware of being able to launch an app.

You may notice I was referring to a deep link. Apps can use these (if implemented) to launch to a specific screen or functionality.

 

[Ruggy]

In case some of you missed it, late last month it was widely reported that Apple have finally realised how awful Siri is, and they have agreed to pay Google over $1billion a year to use Gemini as the underlying structure and it should be available in the spring 2026
At the moment Siri uses 150Bn parameters as its language model. Gemini has 1.2Tn.
Apple say they are going to continue developing their AI but so is everyone. If Google are already using a training base that's 1000 times bigger it's going to be extremely difficult for them to catch up

The worst thing about Siri is car play. You can turn it off or live without it elsewhere because you've no alternative in your car if you want to play some music.
So you ask it to play 'Comfortably numb' and it plays 'Christmas hits'.

 

[svish]

With Siri not being up to the mark, don't mind using a third party assistant. Think such functionality will never be available globally.

 

[tyrnnsrs]

This only benefits you if you want a voice assistant to just do general information searches right? Otherwise I doubt any of these can do any of the more core features that Siri would do in relation to reading messages, setting reminds or alarms, connecting to smart home services, etc.

 

[Taipan]

Just what I have been waiting for, a Bixby button for my iPhone…

 

[groove-agent]

I wouldn't trust other AI assistants, but I feel they would be way better than Siri.

Siri has been pretty dumb for the longest time, even before AI. Apple had years to fix her but chose not to for some reason. Not only that, but Siri I swear has become dumber over time, and inconsistently fails given the same requests as if she's developed dementia. Maybe she doesn't hear all the words all the time?

I remember the first iteration of voice commands around the iPhone3 era. It was integrated with iTunes (Apple Music). She worked really well back then, but was very limited in scope.

 

[Jeeve Stubbs]

Everything is better in Japan.

Glad I'm moving there from Switzerland.

As far as I can tell, quality of life in Switzerland in Japan is like comparing a Maybach and a Ferrari.