Published: Jan. 13, 2026
Apple’s long-promised Siri makeover is finally moving from demos and delays toward something users can actually try — and it’s arriving alongside a major shift in the AI power balance on smartphones. Under a newly confirmed multi‑year partnership, Apple says the next generation of its Apple Foundation Models will be based on Google’s Gemini models and cloud technology, a move designed to accelerate “Apple Intelligence” features — including a more personalized Siri coming this year. ( Blog)
The ripple effects are immediate: Alphabet surged to the $4 trillion valuation milestone, with shares hitting record territory as investors priced in the iPhone-sized impact of Gemini becoming a core layer for Apple’s AI future. ( Reuters) Meanwhile, Microsoft’s Copilot, which has been expanding aggressively across Windows and productivity apps, faces a tougher reality on mobile: Google now sits at the center of AI experiences on both Android and, increasingly, iPhone. ( inkl)
Below is what’s confirmed today — and what iPhone users should watch for next.
Apple and Google make it official: Gemini becomes the foundation for Apple Intelligence
In a joint statement posted by Google, the companies said they’ve entered a multi‑year collaboration in which “the next generation of Apple Foundation Models will be based on Google’s Gemini models and cloud technology.” Those models will help power future Apple Intelligence features, including a “more personalized Siri coming this year.” ( Blog)
Crucially for Apple’s brand promise, the statement also says Apple Intelligence will continue to run on Apple devices and Private Cloud Compute, while maintaining Apple’s “industry‑leading privacy standards.” ( Blog)
Reuters’ reporting adds that Apple will use Gemini models for its revamped Siri “coming later this year,” and frames the deal as a major vote of confidence for Google’s AI — one that expands Gemini’s reach to Apple’s installed base of more than two billion active devices. ( Reuters)
Why Apple is partnering instead of going it alone
The simplest explanation: Apple needs to ship an AI Siri that feels modern — fast.
Apple has been playing catch‑up in generative AI on consumer devices. AP notes that while Apple promised major AI upgrades as part of a high-profile software push, many features remained in development — and one of the “most glaring” omissions has been the promised Siri overhaul into a more conversational, multi‑tasking assistant. ( AP News)
On Tuesday, analysts and tech watchers are largely interpreting the Gemini partnership as a pragmatic acceleration play rather than Apple “giving up.” Tom’s Guide, for example, quoted Techsponential analyst Avi Greengart saying Apple is “building its own models based on Gemini” to power a more advanced Siri — using Gemini as a foundation, not as a full replacement for Apple’s own approach.
iOS 26.4 Beta: the first real glimpse of the “new Siri” may be weeks away
The most immediate question for iPhone owners isn’t abstract strategy — it’s timing: When can we try it?
PhoneArena reports that iOS 26.4 Beta 1 could arrive late this month (for users enrolled in Apple’s beta program), potentially offering the earliest look at Siri changes ahead of a wider iOS 26.4 release expected around March. ( PhoneArena)
Separately, 9to5Mac also points to iOS 26.4 as the likely release vehicle, saying Apple’s three headline Siri upgrades (first unveiled at WWDC 2024) are “on track” for iOS 26.4, with a first beta expected soon and a public release historically landing in March or April. ( 9to5Mac)
What the revamped Siri is expected to do
Across reports, the most consistent “new Siri” capabilities are the ones Apple has been signaling for a while:
- Personal context: Siri can use information on your device (with permission) so you don’t have to remember exactly where something is. ( 9to5Mac)
- On‑screen awareness: Siri understands what’s on your screen — reducing the need to describe every detail. ( 9to5Mac)
- Taking actions across apps: Siri can complete multi‑step tasks that span multiple apps. ( 9to5Mac)
PhoneArena adds examples like asking Siri to add an address shown on-screen to a contact, or finding a photo and sending it to someone — and highlights a broader shift toward deeper, more assistant-like responses. ( PhoneArena)
PhoneArena also reports that iOS 26.4 may begin “the process of turning Siri into a Large Language Model,” including a web‑powered answer engine that provides summarized responses rather than link lists — similar to what users already see from Gemini and ChatGPT. ( PhoneArena)
Alphabet’s $4 trillion moment: why Wall Street is cheering the Gemini–Siri deal
The market reaction has been emphatic: Apple choosing Gemini as a foundation layer is being treated as a validation of Google’s AI roadmap — and a major distribution win.
Reuters reported Alphabet briefly hit $4 trillion in market valuation on Monday, with shares rising to a record intraday level (before paring gains). ( Reuters) AP describes the $4 trillion mark as a new rite of passage in an AI arms race that has also lifted Nvidia, Apple and Microsoft to similar territory at various points — while also warning that bubble fears remain part of the conversation. ( AP News)
The deal also expands a long‑running Google–Apple relationship that already shapes the iPhone experience. AP reports Google pays Apple more than $20 billion annually to remain the preferred search engine on Apple devices — an arrangement that has survived, with modifications, amid ongoing antitrust scrutiny of Google search. ( AP News)
The flip side: concentration, scrutiny, and privacy questions
The bigger Google gets, the more the backlash conversation grows.
Reuters notes that Tesla CEO Elon Musk criticized the tie‑up as “an unreasonable concentration of power for Google,” pointing to Google’s existing control of Android and Chrome. ( Reuters) And both AP and Reuters highlight that this partnership arrives in the shadow of regulatory pressure on Google’s dominance in search. ( AP News)
Apple and Google are clearly trying to pre‑empt the privacy critique: the companies say Apple Intelligence will continue to run on-device and on Apple’s Private Cloud Compute. ( Blog)
What about ChatGPT — and what it means for Microsoft Copilot
Another big subplot today is what Apple’s Gemini foundation means for Apple’s existing AI relationships.
Reuters notes Apple rolled out ChatGPT integration in late 2024, enabling Siri to tap ChatGPT for harder questions; and it adds that Apple said there were no major changes to ChatGPT integration at the time of the Gemini announcement. ( Reuters) Inkl’s coverage (via Windows Central) similarly flags that the new deal “raises concerns” about Apple’s OpenAI partnership, while also arguing that the Gemini move overshadows OpenAI and Microsoft’s odds of becoming the default intelligence layer on iPhone. ( inkl)
For Microsoft, that’s the strategic sting: Copilot may be available as an app on iOS and Android, but Google now effectively owns the default AI assistant experience on Android — and is becoming foundational to Apple’s next Siri era as well. ( inkl)
Windows Central’s analysis (republished on Inkl) also points to Microsoft trying to counterbalance this with deeper Windows integration — including plans to push Windows toward a more “agentic” OS — but acknowledges the challenge of driving mobile engagement without controlling the platform defaults. ( inkl)
What to watch next on Jan. 13: the “new Siri” countdown begins
If you’re tracking this story for what it changes in daily life — not just in market caps — these are the next milestones to watch:
- iOS 26.4 beta timing: Multiple reports point to a beta window that could open late January or soon after, making February a plausible period for early hands-on impressions. ( PhoneArena)
- Apple’s privacy architecture in practice: Apple and Google say Apple Intelligence will run on-device and via Private Cloud Compute; the industry will be watching what data flows (if any) occur in real-world use. ( Blog)
- How “default” Gemini is inside Siri: Reuters frames ChatGPT as likely remaining an opt‑in for complex queries rather than the default layer — but the exact handoff between Apple models, Gemini-based models, and third-party assistants will matter. ( Reuters)
- Regulatory reaction: A deeper Google–Apple AI tie‑up could draw fresh scrutiny given existing antitrust battles around search and platform power. ( AP News)
Quick FAQ: what readers are asking
Will Google “read my iPhone” through Gemini?
Apple and Google say Apple Intelligence will continue running on Apple devices and Apple’s Private Cloud Compute, with Apple’s privacy standards. That suggests Apple intends to keep user data insulated from Google — but the technical details will be closely examined once features roll out. ( Blog)
Is Apple abandoning its own AI models?
Not according to how the companies describe it — and some analysts argue Apple is using Gemini as a foundational layer while building its own models and system integrations on top. ( Blog)
When do I actually get the new Siri?
Apple’s statement says a more personalized Siri is coming “this year.” Reports suggest iOS 26.4 (and its betas) could deliver the first meaningful step, with early looks possible in the coming weeks for beta users. ( Blog)
