Disappointment Strikes Again: Apple's iOS 26.5 Beta 1 Fails to Deliver on Siri Enhancements
Apple enthusiasts were excited about the release of iOS 26.5 Beta 1, with high hopes for significant improvements to Siri. Following the previous delay of Siri 2.0 last month, when iOS 26.4 Beta missed the mark, users anticipated that this update would bring the much-anticipated enhancements to the digital assistant. However, the latest beta release has left many feeling let down as the promised changes appear to be absent once again.
iOS 26.5 Beta 1 was unveiled today, and many users were eager to see the advancements that Siri 2.0 would bring. Siri 2.0 was designed to enhance its functionality tremendously—imagine receiving an address via WhatsApp and effortlessly instructing Siri to "add this to their contact card." Such deep app integration was expected to revolutionize how we interact with our devices.
Siri 2.0 was also set to include features such as tracking flights for loved ones. Users could simply ask Siri for flight information, and it would sift through their emails and pull real-time data to provide an accurate answer. The idea was for Siri to scour personal data including photos and calendar entries to respond meaningfully to user queries.
Unmet Expectations for Siri 2.0
Regrettably, with the release of iOS 26.5 Beta 1, users discovered that there have been no updates to Siri's functionalities. In fact, it appears we will have to wait longer until iOS 27—anticipated to debut with its first beta on June 8, coinciding with the WWDC 2026 Keynote—where we might finally witness the significant overhaul we have been hoping for. This overhaul is expected to be bolstered by Apple's deal with Google, rumored to cost Apple around $1 billion annually, allowing Siri to utilize a custom Gemini model packed with a staggering 1.2 trillion parameters.
Apple releases iOS 26.5 Beta 1 without any change made to Siri. | Image by PhoneArena
For those looking to check if they received the iOS 26.5 Developer Beta, they can navigate to Settings > General > Software Update. Should a notification pop up, they can follow the installation instructions.
Unfortunately, today's update does not seem to bring any enhancements to Siri. The lack of update may indicate that significant improvements to our digital assistant will be delayed until the release of iOS 27 Beta 1 in June. Besides iOS, Apple also released updates for iPadOS 26.5 Beta 1, tvOS 26.5 Beta 1, watchOS 26.5 Beta 1, visionOS 26.5 Beta 1, and HomePod 26.5 Beta 1 today.
If any updates emerge in iOS 26.5 Beta 1, which I installed on my iPhone 15 Pro Max, I will ensure this article receives timely updates.
