Summary of Key Highlights
WWDC 2026 was the last event hosted by Apple CEO Tim Cook, with his successor John Ternus set to take over in September. The highlight of the conference was the long-awaited upgrade to Siri AI, which had been delayed for two years. Apple collaborated with Google to create a dual-mode large model (both on the device and in a private cloud) that transforms Siri from a simple voice command tool into an independent AI assistant capable of understanding context, recognizing the user's screen, and working across applications. However, users in China will not be able to use this new feature for now (with an optimistic estimate of next year). There were also other minor updates, such as rounded corners on Mac devices, as well as hints at Apple’s potential future openness to third-party AI integration.
1. Cook’s Final Act: The Last WWDC and the “Task” of AI
This WWDC was particularly significant for Cook. During his tenure, he led Apple to become a global leader in supply chain management and significantly increased service revenues (from the App Store, Apple Music, etc.). He also made privacy protection a core selling point, helping Apple become one of the highest-valued companies in the world. Yet, before leaving, he left an unfinished task: the upgrade to Siri’s AI.
In 2024, Apple announced plans for Apple Intelligence (the AI version of Siri), but by then, ChatGPT and Gemini had already made their way into offices, programming, and mobile systems, while Siri was still far from being competitive. Now that this task is finally completed, whether Siri can become the leading AI platform of its time depends on the new CEO, John Ternus.
2. The Delayed Siri AI Upgrade: From “Voice Remote” to “Smart Assistant”
Previously, Siri functioned more like a voice remote, capable of only simple tasks like setting alarms, checking the weather, and controlling music. With this upgrade:
- Independent App and Multi-Session Conversations: Siri becomes an independent app that can engage in longer conversations, with conversation history synced across all Apple devices.
- Contextual Understanding: For example, if you ask for photos from the Van Gogh Museum taken in the Netherlands in 2018, Siri will remember your travel details and photo information to find the relevant images (instead of just searching by keywords).
- Screen Recognition: It can understand what’s on your screen and assist with tasks like translation or summarizing content (similar to what Gemini’s desktop version can do).
- Cross-Application Tasks: You can ask Siri to organize notes from last week and send them via email; it will coordinate the necessary apps to complete the task. This is something software manufacturers (like Apple) find easy to implement but difficult due to user volume and privacy concerns, which was also the reason for the delay.
3. Apple + Google Collaboration: A Dual-Mode AI Solution That Balances Ease of Use and Privacy
The upgrade relies on a partnership between Apple and Google, creating a new large model that operates in both a local device mode and a private cloud:
- Local Processing: Sensitive data (such as photos and emails) is processed locally on the user’s phone without being uploaded to the cloud, ensuring privacy.
- Cloud-Based Tasks: More complex operations (like extensive web searches or large-scale model calculations) are handled by Apple and Google’s clouds, with encrypted data to prevent leaks.
This approach addresses Apple’s previous limitations in AI processing power while maintaining its commitment to user privacy. The author rates the new Siri as 80% effective, but Chinese users will still not be able to use it for now due to localization and policy reasons.
4. Frustration for Chinese Users: New Siri Still Out of Reach?
For Chinese users, this Siri upgrade is largely irrelevant as it’s only available in certain regions and not accessible from within China. The author jokes that the new features are still “just on web pages and in presentations,” with an optimistic estimate of availability next year.
The delay may be due to the need for localized versions of the AI to fit Chinese language and cultural contexts, as well as compliance with domestic data security regulations. Even if it becomes available, whether it will outperform ChatGPT remains uncertain, as users in Singapore have already expressed dissatisfaction with its functionality.
5. Apple’s Next Step with AI: Moving from “Building Own AI” to “Managing Multiple AI Systems”
The upgrade also reveals Apple’s future direction for AI: it plans to collaborate with other AI systems rather than developing all its own. The developer community suggests that iOS 27 will introduce new integration mechanisms, allowing the system to use third-party models like ChatGPT or Gemini to provide answers to user queries. Apple’s built-in writing and image tools may also start incorporating third-party AI.
This shift indicates that Apple is shifting from developing its own AI to managing a variety of AI services. For example, when you use Siri, it might automatically select the most suitable AI service for the task at hand—using ChatGPT for writing or Gemini for image analysis. This approach leverages the strengths of Apple’s ecosystem while addressing its own AI shortcomings.
In summary, WWDC 2026 marks a significant step forward for Apple in AI technology, but Chinese users will have to wait a bit longer to fully benefit from these improvements. With Cook’s era coming to an end, we’ll see whether the new CEO can truly make Siri the leading AI platform within Apple’s ecosystem.