Apple has unveiled its new artificial intelligence (AI) agent, Siri, approximately two years after the controversial launch of the personalized Siri, which sparked false advertising allegations. However, the AI’s rapid adoption may face hurdles due to unexpectedly high system requirements and privacy concerns.
Apple announced on Friday that the AI agent Siri, revealed at the 2026 Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), will be integrated into the iOS 27 operating system. It will only be compatible with models released after the iPhone 15 Pro series, launched in 2023, and the iPhone 16, set for release in 2024.
The newly introduced AI agent Siri will operate across various system apps, including messaging, email, and photos, by comprehending the user’s personal context. It’s designed to suggest message content based on past calendar entries and can recognize the user’s screen in real-time.
Apple initially teased this feature during WWDC 2024, but delays in AI development led to lawsuits in several countries, including the U.S. and Canada, over false advertising claims. Ultimately, Apple partnered with Google to introduce the AI agent Siri, based on Gemini technology.
Enhanced Siri Faces Compatibility Issues: 34% of iPhones Unable to Run New AI
However, the AI agent Siri is expected to face challenges due to its demanding system requirements. Morgan Stanley estimates that approximately 850 million iPhones currently in use globally will not be able to support the new AI agent Siri.
This figure represents a staggering 34% of Apple’s reported 2.5 billion active iPhone devices worldwide.
Even among devices meeting the minimum requirements, an additional 1.3 billion may not be able to utilize the advanced AI features of the new Siri, which operates on-device.
Apple reportedly requires at least 12GB of RAM to run Siri’s advanced features. Only the higher-end models of the iPhone 17 series, released last year, come equipped with 12GB of RAM.
Consequently, even users who purchased the latest iPhone last year will be unable to access the new AI capabilities if they opted for the standard models.
EU and China Regulations Hinder Initial Release; Stock Prices Tumble
Furthermore, privacy concerns are likely to delay the AI agent Siri’s launch in certain countries, presenting another challenge for Apple.
To provide contextual understanding, the AI agent Siri must access users’ personal information and data across various apps. This requirement reportedly conflicts with the European Union’s Digital Markets Act (DMA). Despite Apple proposing a tailored privacy solution for the European Union (EU), it was not accepted.
In China, AI services must undergo algorithm registration and security review processes before launch.
As a result, Apple has decided to exclude the AI agent Siri feature from iOS 27 in both the EU and China.
Yahoo Finance reported that Apple’s stock price fell 4% following the WWDC 2026 announcement. The report highlighted that despite the improved AI, the initial exclusion of this feature in the EU and China is significant, as these regions accounted for 35% of iPhone shipments in the past 12 months.
