Apple Faces Setbacks in Siri and AI Development, Delays Feature Release
Apple, the tech giant known for its innovative products, is grappling with significant challenges in its Siri and AI development efforts. The company has been forced to delay the release of several features that were initially promised during its June announcement, casting uncertainty over the future of Apple’s Intelligence capabilities.
In a recent internal meeting of the Siri team, led by senior director Robby Walker, the situation was described as “ugly,” according to a report by Bloomberg. Walker acknowledged the frustration among employees and revealed that it remains unclear whether the new Siri features will be included in the upcoming iOS 19 release. He emphasized that commitments to other Apple projects have taken precedence, contributing to the delay.
The setback has exposed internal tensions between the Siri unit and Apple’s marketing division. Sources familiar with the matter indicate that the marketing team had pushed to highlight features that were not yet fully developed, potentially raising customer expectations prematurely. As a result, Apple has had to pull an iPhone 16 advertisement and add disclaimers regarding the delayed features.
Quality issues have plagued the development process, with reports suggesting that some features failed up to a third of the time during testing. This has led to concerns about the readiness of the technology for public release.
While Apple has not publicly commented beyond a brief statement acknowledging the delays, senior executives, including Craig Federighi and John Giannandrea, have reportedly taken personal accountability for the situation. Walker assured the team that new features and improvements would be released when they meet Apple’s standards for quality and reliability.
Despite the setbacks, Walker praised the Siri team for their hard work, noting that competitors might have launched similar features prematurely. The company remains committed to delivering a polished product, even if it means a longer wait for consumers.
As Apple continues to navigate these challenges, the tech industry and consumers alike will be watching closely to see how the company addresses its AI ambitions and maintains its reputation for quality in an increasingly competitive market.
