Apple plans privacy-focused Siri app with auto-deleting chats

Apple is preparing a major overhaul of its Siri assistant in iOS 27, centering on a standalone Siri app with built-in privacy controls. Mark Gurman reports for Bloomberg that the new app will let users set conversations to auto-delete after 30 days, one year, or never. Apple positions this as a systemic privacy protection rather than an optional mode, contrasting itself with rivals like ChatGPT and Meta.

Despite the privacy framing, the new Siri will rely partly on Google’s Gemini AI model and Google’s cloud infrastructure. Apple has not publicly emphasized this dependency, as it conflicts with its long-standing privacy narrative. The company still plans to invoke its Private Cloud Compute system but has not confirmed it will use the same chips and data centers as before.

Even after a two-year delay, the revamped Siri may still launch labeled as a “beta.” Internal iOS 27 test builds already carry this label and include a toggle to exit the beta. Apple first used this approach when it introduced the original Siri in 2011.

Apple also plans a “Suggested Genmoji” feature for iOS 27, which generates custom emoji from user photos and frequently typed phrases. The feature will be optional.

Gurman notes that Google has already delivered many AI capabilities Apple promised in 2024, and Apple may need one to two more years to catch up.