Apple Plans Standalone Siri App Debut at WWDC 2026 Developer Conference

Apple is testing a standalone app for its Siri voice assistant alongside a new "Ask Siri" feature that will work across the company's software, part of a broader artificial intelligence overhaul. The project, reported today by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, carries the internal codename Campos and represents the most significant rethinking of Siri since the assistant debuted in 2011.

The new Siri is slated to be unveiled June 8 at the Worldwide Developers Conference as part of the iOS 27 and macOS 27 operating systems, according to people familiar with the plans who asked not to be identified because they are private. Gurman previously said that Apple was not going to develop a standalone Siri app, but it appears plans have changed.

Apple plans to debut a chatbot version of Siri that will compete with Claude and ChatGPT, and the new Siri could be accessible through a dedicated app. Like ChatGPT and Claude, Siri will support both text and voice-based conversations, with the app displaying either a list or grid of past conversations, with options to favorite chats, search through chats, initiate new chats, and save chats.

The visual overhaul extends beyond the app itself. Activating Siri will have a new animation that prompts the user to search or ask a question, and Gurman says Apple is testing a version of Siri integrated into the Dynamic Island. Apple's test interface includes a glowing Siri icon and a "searching" label in the Dynamic Island while Siri is processing a request, and once done, Siri expands into a larger translucent panel with the results. Apple may also integrate an "Ask Siri" button into the menus of other apps, giving users a way to send content directly to Siri alongside a request.

According to Gurman, the Siri chatbot will be baked into Apple's software rather than debuting as a standalone app, allowing it to search the web, generate content including images, provide coding assistance, summarize and analyze information, as well as upload files. Apple Intelligence Siri features that were originally planned for iOS 18 will be introduced in iOS 27, with Siri able to use personal data and context to answer queries.

The Campos project arrives against a backdrop of repeated delays. The move could help Apple accelerate the release of its more advanced, AI-powered Siri, which was delayed after first being teased at the company's 2024 Worldwide Developers Conference. The latest iPhone software, iOS 26.4, does not deliver the large Siri overhaul that many users wanted. While iOS 26.4's release turned out to be feature-packed, the new Siri features are not present. Prior to iOS 26.4's first developer beta release, Gurman reported that Apple would instead target iOS 26.5 and iOS 27.

Underpinning the entire overhaul is a partnership with a company Apple has long sparred with in the marketplace. Apple and Google entered into a multi-year collaboration under which the next generation of Apple Foundation Models will be based on Google's Gemini models and cloud technology, with those models set to help power future Apple Intelligence features, including a more personalized Siri. The joint announcement came on January 12, 2026. Previous reports indicate Apple could be paying Google around $1 billion for access to its AI technology, though neither company confirmed the financial terms. The chatbot Siri will reportedly leverage a much more advanced version of Google's Gemini model, known internally as Apple Foundation Models version 11.

Apple Intelligence will continue to run on Apple devices and Private Cloud Compute, while maintaining Apple's industry-leading privacy standards. Apple CEO Tim Cook addressed the arrangement at the company's Q1 2026 earnings call, saying: "You should think of it as a collaboration. And we'll obviously independently continue to do some of our own stuff, but you should think of what is going to power the personalized version of Siri as a collaboration with Google."

Apple has confirmed that WWDC 2026 will place a strong focus on artificial intelligence, with the company set to preview new AI-powered features across its software platforms during the week-long event starting June 8. New Apple TV 4K and HomePod mini models are still unreleased, despite Gurman reporting that updated versions have been "ready" since last year. According to Gurman, Apple has delayed shipping them until the more personalized Siri and related features are prepared. The product holds and the overdue chatbot work collectively make the June 8 keynote one of the most consequential WWDC events Apple has staged in years.