Apple's Siri Getting Google Gemini AI Overhaul in March 2026: What Changes for Indian Users
Apple CEO Tim Cook has confirmed the company plans to launch an upgraded, AI-powered Siri next year, with the rollout now targeted for March 2026. But here's the twist nobody saw coming: Apple is paying Google to develop a custom Gemini-based AI model that will run exclusively on Apple's Private Cloud Compute servers to power the next-generation Siri.
For a company that's built its reputation on doing everything in-house, this marks a significant strategic pivot. After years of Siri lagging behind competitors like Google Assistant and Amazon's Alexa, Apple is finally acknowledging it needs external help to catch up in the AI race.
Why Apple Turned to Google's Gemini
Apple has been secretly developing Siri 2.0 using an internal training tool codenamed "Veritas," combining the company's own large language models with third-party models, likely Google's Gemini. The delays stemmed from Apple's struggle to integrate a new AI system with Siri's existing architecture, with internal testing showing error rates climbing to around 33 percent.
Apple first announced the upgraded Siri at its Worldwide Developers Conference in June 2024, initially planning a late 2024 launch. However, the company faced significant criticism and multiple class-action lawsuits from iPhone 16 buyers who purchased devices expecting the advertised AI features.
The partnership makes practical sense. Apple gains access to advanced AI tools without incurring excessive research and development costs, while Google expands its Gemini technology into Apple's vast ecosystem of billions of active devices.
What's Actually Changing in Siri
Users won't see any Gemini-branded elements or Google services directly integrated into Siri. Instead, Apple is creating a custom Gemini model that operates exclusively on Apple's Private Cloud Compute servers, maintaining Apple's privacy safeguards and user interface design while supercharging intelligence behind the scenes.
The upgrade will bring three major capabilities:
AI-Powered Web Search: Siri will deliver more pertinent and detailed responses without needing to launch Safari, using AI-driven web search to answer complex queries.
Personal Context Awareness: The new Siri will understand users' personal context and on-screen awareness, enabling deeper per-app controls. Apple demonstrated how users could ask Siri about their mother's flight and lunch reservation plans based on information from Mail and Messages apps.
Natural Conversation: Apple's goal is for Siri to feel more natural, contextually aware, and proficient in managing real-world tasks beyond basic queries.
The India Angle: When Will We Get It?
Here's where things get interesting for Indian users. Apple Intelligence features launched in India in April 2025 with iOS 18.4, bringing support for localized English for India. This means the foundational AI infrastructure is already in place.
The upgraded Siri is expected to arrive with iOS 26.4 in March 2026, following Apple's typical spring update schedule. Since Apple Intelligence already supports English (India), the Gemini-powered Siri should theoretically be available to Indian users simultaneously with the global rollout.
Device Compatibility: Apple Intelligence is available on iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, iPhone 16 Pro Max, iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, iPad with A17 Pro or M1 and later, and Mac with M1 and later. If you own any of these devices, you're good to go.
The Hindi Problem: Apple Intelligence isn't available in Hindi yet and doesn't seem to arrive anytime soon. For now, you'll need to use English to access the upgraded Siri features.
The Hardware Push Alongside Siri 2.0
Apple plans to unveil the overhauled Siri in March 2026 alongside a smart home display available in both speaker-base and wall-mount configurations, coinciding with releases of new HomePod mini and Apple TV models. The next Worldwide Developers Conference in June will unveil iOS 27, iPadOS 27, macOS 27, and other platforms, all spotlighting significantly enhanced AI features with the improved Siri at the center.
This hardware timing is strategic. Apple needs showcase devices to demonstrate why the new Siri matters in everyday life—not just on iPhones, but in living rooms, kitchens, and offices.
The Privacy Question Nobody's Asking
Let's address the elephant in the room: Apple, the company that runs "Privacy. That's iPhone" ads, is now partnering with Google, the world's largest advertising company built on user data.
Apple is financially engaging Google to develop a custom Gemini-based model that operates exclusively on Apple's Private Cloud Compute servers, ensuring users won't notice any Gemini-branded elements and Siri will stay distinctively Apple in design and user experience. The integration will provide users with richer, more contextually aware responses while maintaining Apple's commitment to privacy.
In theory, this sandboxed approach means Google's AI powers the intelligence without Google accessing your personal data. But critics will rightfully question whether Apple's privacy-first ethos can truly coexist with Google's AI technology.
What Could Go Wrong?
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman warned there's no guarantee users will embrace the new Siri, that it will work seamlessly, or that it can undo years of damage to the Siri brand. That's not just pessimism—it's reality.
Some Apple software engineers have concerns about the overhauled Siri's performance, though specific details about the shortcomings haven't been disclosed. With approximately five to six months until the March 2026 launch, Apple still has time to address lingering issues.
Apple has faced repeated delays, with the new target launch date set for March 2026, nearly a year later than previously planned. In internal tests, about one-third of Siri's new features crashed. That's not a confidence-inspiring track record.
The Antitrust Elephant
The U.S. Department of Justice is already scrutinizing Apple's existing search partnership with Google, which involves billions in payments. A new AI collaboration could attract further antitrust attention, with critics arguing that tying Apple's devices to Google's AI could reinforce market dominance.
For context, Google currently pays Apple an estimated $20 billion annually to remain the default search engine on Safari. Adding an AI partnership to this relationship will give regulators even more ammunition.
The Bigger Picture: Apple's AI Strategy Shift
Tim Cook indicated Apple is preparing for more partnerships similar to its deal with OpenAI, which brought ChatGPT to Apple Intelligence. Beyond Google, reports suggest Apple is exploring potential collaborations with other AI companies, including Anthropic and Perplexity, as part of its broader strategy to make Apple Intelligence a multi-model platform.
This represents a fundamental shift in Apple's philosophy. For decades, the company prided itself on vertical integration—controlling hardware, software, and services end-to-end. Now, facing the reality that generative AI requires massive compute resources and continuous model training, Apple is adopting an "asset-light" approach to AI.
Developing a top-tier AI model internally requires massive R&D investment, talent acquisition, and infrastructure. By outsourcing to partners like Google and OpenAI, Apple can redirect capital to other innovation areas while still delivering cutting-edge AI features.
Whether this strategy succeeds depends entirely on execution. Can Apple maintain its brand identity while relying on competitors' technology? Can it deliver seamless experiences when multiple AI models are involved? And most critically for Indian users, can it make Siri smart enough to finally be useful?
March 2026 will answer those questions. Until then, Siri remains what it's always been: a voice assistant with enormous potential and a frustrating track record of underdelivering.