Tech: Will Siri be removed from the iPhone? What changes are coming in the new iOS 26.2 beta 3 update?

Artificial intelligence (AI) voice assistants have become quite popular over the past year. Technologies like Google Gemini and OpenAI's ChatGPT are now capable of answering complex questions and providing users with information. Meanwhile, Apple's Siri has lagged in this race. Now, the Cupertino company is preparing to give iPhone users the option to choose a third-party voice assistant.

In iOS 26.2 beta 3, Apple confirmed that iPhone users will be able to replace Siri with a third-party voice assistant. Official developer documentation states that users will be able to activate third-party assistants using the iPhone's side button.

However, this feature will currently only be available in Japan. Apple's developer notes state, "People in Japan can set an action on the iPhone's side button that will instantly launch your voice-based app." This requires the user's Apple account region to be set to Japan and the device to be physically located in Japan.

Apple's move is likely to comply with Japan's local regulations under the Mobile Software Competition Act guidelines. It is not currently considered a global policy change.

Major Changes to Siri Coming Soon
The lack of this feature outside Japan may disappoint some users. However, Apple is also preparing to update Siri. According to reports, Apple will provide Google with $1 billion next year to upgrade Siri with a Gemini-based AI model. This new model will run exclusively on Apple's own servers, and no user data will be shared with Google or any third party.

This could prove to be a significant change for iPhone users. The availability of third-party voice assistant options will allow users to customize their AI assistants. While this feature is currently limited to Japan, major upgrades to Siri in the future are expected to provide a better voice assistant experience for global users as well.

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