Apple unveils Siri AI at Tim Cook's final WWDC, but EU users are left waiting

The final act

Apple's 2026 Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) opened with a pre-recorded keynote that carried the weight of a transition. Tim Cook took the stage for what multiple outlets describe as his last major product launch as CEO before handing the role to hardware chief John Ternus in September. The presentation aimed to close a difficult chapter for the company, which first promised a context-aware Siri in 2024 but failed to deliver, leading to a $250 million settlement with consumer groups.

Siri rebuilt on Google's foundation

After repeated delays, Apple revealed that its new assistant, branded "Siri AI," is built on Google's Gemini AI model rather than a purely in-house solution. The system can analyze on-screen content, access personal data across Mail, Calendar, Notes, and Contacts, and execute multi-step tasks across apps. It will be available as a standalone app for the first time, putting it in direct competition with OpenAI's ChatGPT.

Siri is now a really powerful assistant.

Software chief Craig Federighi demonstrated the assistant in real time, showing it finding a recipe from a message, suggesting drink pairings, and compiling an invitation. The new Siri also features more expressive, customizable voices and a dictation function, though these require substantial memory and are limited to the iPhone Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and Pro Max, or iPads with an M4 chip or newer.

EU exclusion and Google partnership

In a significant limitation, Apple confirmed that "Siri AI" will not be available on iPhones and iPads in the European Union at launch. The company did not provide a timeline for EU availability, stating only that the feature will initially be offered in English, with more languages to follow quickly. The reliance on Google's Gemini for complex queries marks a notable shift for a company that has long emphasized on-device processing and privacy, a tension acknowledged by Federighi's insistence that user control and data protection remain central.

For AI to be truly useful, it must be built around the needs of users. It must be deeply integrated into the products they rely on every day, based on personal context and designed for privacy at every step.

iOS 27 and device compatibility

Apple announced iOS 27 and iPadOS 27 with a focus on speed, stability, and security refinements rather than a visual overhaul. The update will support all devices that ran iOS 26, extending compatibility back to the iPhone 11, now eight years old. However, the full Apple Intelligence suite, including the new Siri, requires at least an iPhone 15 Pro or iPhone 16. The MacBook Neo, Macs with M1 or newer, Apple Vision Pro, and recent Apple Watch models paired with a compatible iPhone will also support the AI features.

Child safety and other features

Apple introduced several child safety updates, including default restrictions that limit children to parent-approved apps. A new "Ask to Browse" feature requires children to request permission before visiting a new website, and violent imagery in messages will be automatically blurred. Other system updates include Safari's ability to group open tabs by topic using AI, a photo editing tool that can reposition a person in an image and fill in the background, and a Home app that can analyze and describe security camera footage.