Apple’s WWDC 2026 keynote lands on June 8 — one week from today — and the expected headliner is a complete Siri overhaul that puts Apple Intelligence directly in competition with ChatGPT and Google Gemini. Leaked builds of iOS 27 show a standalone Siri app capable of multi-step tasks, natural conversation, and handoffs to third-party AI assistants including Claude and Gemini. (Source: Newsweek)
Siri 2.0 — What the Leaks Show
Apple is reportedly shipping what insiders call “Siri 2.0” — a ground-up redesign that moves far beyond the voice assistant’s current capabilities. The new Siri is expected to handle complex, multi-step requests (“book me a flight to Bangalore on Friday under ₹8,000 and add it to my calendar”), maintain conversational context across sessions, and read and act on content from any app on your phone.
The most significant architectural change: Apple is opening Siri to third-party AI backends. If you have Claude or Gemini installed, iOS 27 will let Siri hand off difficult questions to them instead of failing silently. That’s a significant shift from Apple’s historically closed ecosystem approach. For context on how Claude and ChatGPT compare on these tasks, see our full AI assistant comparison.
iOS 27’s Other AI Features — Beyond Siri
Siri isn’t the only AI upgrade arriving in iOS 27. Leaked builds point to:
- Expanded Apple Intelligence in Wallet: AI-generated spending summaries and anomaly detection on your transactions.
- Safari AI mode: A reading assistant that can summarize long articles, extract key points, and answer follow-up questions about the page you’re on.
- Writing Tools expansion: Third-party AI services — not just Apple’s own model — can now power Writing Tools in any app.
- Camera Siri: Point your camera at something and ask Siri about it in real time. Think Google Lens but baked into the OS.
- Shortcuts AI: Natural language shortcut creation — describe what you want to automate, and Siri builds the Shortcut for you.
Apple is also preparing iOS 27 to support the rumored iPhone Fold launching in September, introducing a new split-screen mode that lets two apps run side-by-side — a first for the iPhone form factor.
How Apple Intelligence Stacks Up Against Gemini and ChatGPT
Google has been aggressive in AI this year — Gemini 3.5 Flash brought significant speed and price improvements, and we broke down the benchmarks and pricing in detail. OpenAI’s ChatGPT continues to dominate consumer mindshare. Apple’s challenge is not matching their raw model performance — it’s matching their usability on a device that hundreds of millions of people already own.
That’s the bet Apple is making at WWDC: that the best AI assistant is the one that’s already in your pocket, understands your photos, knows your calendar, and works without a subscription — not the one with the highest benchmark score. For users already paying for ChatGPT Plus or Claude Max, iOS 27 might change the math on whether that subscription is still worth it.
FAQ — Apple WWDC 2026
When is Apple WWDC 2026?
WWDC 2026 runs from June 8 to June 12. The opening keynote — where Apple announces iOS 27, macOS, and new AI features — is on Monday, June 8. The keynote typically begins at 10 AM Pacific Time (10:30 PM IST).
What AI features are coming in iOS 27?
iOS 27 is expected to include a rebuilt Siri with multi-step task handling and third-party AI backend support (Claude, Gemini), expanded Apple Intelligence in Safari and Wallet, Camera Siri for real-time visual AI, Writing Tools open to third-party AI providers, and AI-powered Shortcuts creation via natural language.
Will Siri 2.0 work on older iPhones?
Based on leaks, the full Apple Intelligence feature set in iOS 27 will likely require iPhone 15 Pro or newer — the same hardware requirement as iOS 26’s Apple Intelligence tier. Some limited Siri improvements may come to older devices, but the core AI upgrade is expected to be A17 Pro chip and above only.
Will iOS 27 replace my ChatGPT or Claude subscription?
Unlikely for power users, but possible for casual users. iOS 27 integrates Claude and Gemini as optional backends, meaning you can use your existing subscriptions through Siri rather than a separate app. For heavy AI users, dedicated apps still offer more control and advanced features.
When will iOS 27 be released to the public?
WWDC announces the developer beta, which launches immediately after the keynote on June 8. The public beta typically arrives in July, and the full public release of iOS 27 is expected in September 2026 alongside new iPhone hardware.
