Apple plans to equip the new Siri in iOS 27 with extensive app integrations and is already actively working with developers on the connection. However, a key obstacle is slowing down these plans: developers' concerns that Apple might later charge commissions for Siri integration. The discussions are meeting with a particularly reserved reaction in China.
With the overhaul of Siri, Apple is unveiling one of the key building blocks of its AI strategy on June 8th. For the new assistant to become more than just a pretty demo, however, it needs deep app integrations – and that's precisely where the problem lies. As The Information reports, Apple's marketing efforts are meeting with concrete reservations from some developers. The report is part of a larger story surrounding the planned opening of the App Store to AI agents, where Apple is also breaking new ground. Meanwhile, preparations are underway for the Siri overhaul in iOS 27, which will reportedly utilize Google's custom Gemini models, among other things.
What it's essentially about
For months, Apple has been contacting developers worldwide to integrate app functionality directly into the new Siri. This includes actions such as booking flights, sending calendar invitations, and sharing content - functions that the assistant should be able to perform via voice command in the future, without needing to open the respective app. Technically, this is likely based on the App Intents framework, which Apple announced some time ago but never fully released.
Discussions are in full swing ahead of WWDC. Apple wants to ensure that enough third-party apps are integrated with the new Siri at launch to deliver a compelling product experience. Without deep integration, Siri 2.0 would simply be a better voice control – and that's precisely what they want to avoid.
The developers' commission concerns
While technical aspects are apparently being discussed largely without friction, enthusiasm is hampered by an old Apple issue: money. Several developers are reportedly reacting cautiously towards Apple because they fear the company might start charging commissions on Siri integrations in the future. Apple is said to have indicated that no fees will be charged in the early stages – but has not explicitly ruled them out for the future.
How such a commission structure might look in practice remains unclear. With the classic App Intents framework, it's not obvious where a fee structure would technically be implemented. It's therefore possible that the Siri integration goes beyond the pure Intents framework and includes further functions that could be monetized – such as extended data access, advertising placements within the assistant context, or premium features for connected services.
Chinese tech giants are putting on the brakes
The reservations are particularly evident at three of China's largest tech companies. Baidu, Alibaba, and Tencent are all reportedly in talks with Apple about Siri integration. Employees of these companies are quoted in the report as saying that the corporations do not want to enter into a partnership that could later result in fees.
This is understandable. The three companies are also key platform operators in the Chinese app ecosystem, handling billions of dollars in transactions through their services. Even a relatively small commission could add up to considerable sums on the scale of these companies. Furthermore, Apple already operates in a strained regulatory environment in China, and an additional conflict with the dominant local players would be strategically problematic.
Apple and the commission reflex
The developers' concerns are understandable, but Apple is caught in a bind. On the one hand, the company depends on the new Siri shining with genuine app integrations – and that's only possible if developers cooperate. On the other hand, the commission-based model is historically part of Apple's DNA, and completely ruling out future fees would break with the logic that has made the company so profitable over the past 15 years.
Nevertheless, now might be the right moment to make a clear statement on this specific issue. Anyone who wants to win over developers in a phase where the AI competition isn't standing still can't afford any stalling. Apple has recently demonstrated its ability to take firm action regarding platform control – for example, when the company threatened to remove Grok from the App Store. A different approach would be appropriate for Siri integration: trust instead of pressure, because developers aren't supplicants here, but indispensable partners.
What WWDC must deliver
By June 8th at the latest, Apple will need to have a clear picture of what the new Siri actually looks like and which apps will be deeply integrated at launch. If WWDC goes off without any significant third-party demos, that would be a clear indication of the difficulties in negotiations. Ideally, Apple should present a handful of showcase apps – preferably not just from major Western players, but also recognizable examples from the Chinese market.
Apple is unlikely to openly address the commission issue at WWDC. Such details are traditionally negotiated behind the scenes with developers. However, from an observer's perspective, there is hope that Apple learns from the App Store dispute and clarifies the situation early enough – before reservations develop into a structural problem for its AI strategy.
Siri's strategy is faltering at a critical point
The new Siri is central to Apple's AI ambitions, and without broad app integration, it will fall short of its potential. Developers' hesitation due to commission concerns is therefore more than a side issue – it's a question that directly influences the success of iOS 27. Apple still has some time before WWDC to send the right signals. (Image: Shutterstock / Lea Rae)
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