A Strange Development from Apple: The Unwelcome Delay of Siri’s Features
A Byproduct of the AI Era
A strange and unwelcome byproduct of the AI era has been the advent of products arriving without all of their promised features available at launch. We’ve seen plenty of gadgets land with headline features set to follow in subsequent software updates. It’s a dodgy practice that rarely pays off (RIP, Humane) – so it’s particularly surprising to see Apple leaning into it too.
Apple Intelligence: A Promising but Delayed Solution
Apple Intelligence was announced with great fanfare this year, promising, among other things, to completely overhaul the iPhone’s tired old voice assistant, Siri. But not only has Apple been forced to concede that Siri’s improvements are taking longer than planned, but the whole debacle is said to be causing tension in the company itself.
Internal Tensions and a Leaked Meeting
According to Bloomberg, details of a leaked internal meeting at Apple include Siri senior director Robby Walker calling the situation "ugly and embarrassing". And while the features were hoped to be ready in time for iOS 19, the meeting apparently suggested even that isn’t guaranteed.
Apple’s Official Statement and the Future of Siri
In a recent statement, Apple announced that the Siri features were taking longer than planned. "Siri helps our users find what they need and get things done quickly, and in just the past six months, we’ve made Siri more conversational, introduced new features like type to Siri and product knowledge, and added an integration with ChatGPT," the company told Daring Fireball. "We’ve also been working on a more personalized Siri, giving it more awareness of your personal context, as well as the ability to take action for you within and across your apps. It’s going to take us longer than we thought to deliver on these features and we anticipate rolling them out in the coming year.”
Tension in the Company and the Future of Apple Intelligence
Another intriguing aspect of the leaked meeting is how, according to The Verge, it hints at tension in the company, with the advertising and communications team keen to showcase features at last year’s WWDC, even though these were "nowhere near ready". Walker acknowledges that Apple’s own teases of the software have made matters worse by raising expectations. And with Apple last week pulling an ad showcasing the features, it seems the tension between Apple’s marketing and software teams isn’t set to abate any time soon.
Conclusion
Time will tell whether Apple Intelligence turns out to justify the wait, but right now the whole thing is continuing to bemuse the tech world.
FAQs
Q: What are the features of Apple Intelligence?
A: Apple Intelligence was promised to bring a range of new features to Siri, including more conversational capabilities, the ability to take action for users within and across apps, and a more personalized experience.
Q: Why are the features being delayed?
A: The features are being delayed due to a range of factors, including the complexity of the development process and the need for more time to test and refine the software.
Q: Is Apple facing internal tension over the delay?
A: Yes, according to a leaked internal meeting, there is tension within the company over the delay, with some teams wanting to release the features earlier and others wanting to take more time to ensure quality.
Q: Will the delay affect the future of Apple Intelligence?
A: It’s too early to say, but the delay is likely to have an impact on the future of Apple Intelligence, potentially affecting its adoption and user satisfaction.
