Apple is bringing a standalone Siri app to the iPhone next month – and it comes with two noteworthy features. First: The conversation history can be automatically deleted after 30 days or one year, similar to iMessage. Second: Even in the final iOS 27 version, the app will likely still carry a beta label.
The Siri revamp is considered Apple's most important AI project since the unveiling of Apple Intelligence in the summer of 2024. At its core is a fully-fledged chatbot that will exist alongside traditional voice control and will utilize Google's Gemini models. The premiere is scheduled for WWDC 2026 on June 8th – with initial beta access around the same time. This finally brings the project to fruition, which we described in detail in our overview of the Siri relaunch in iOS 27. Gurman's new details add two key points to the picture: a specific privacy feature and the unusual beta label at the final release.
Auto-delete function for chats
The app's most important privacy feature is directly based on iMessage. Those who have set iMessage to automatically delete their conversation history after 30 days or one year will already be familiar with this mechanism. Apple is now transferring it directly to the new Siri app. Users will have three options: 30 days, one year, or unlimited retention.
With this, Apple answers a question that has been circulating since the Gemini collaboration was announced: What happens to the content that a user enters into an Apple chatbot that technically runs on Google models? The answer is twofold. First, the requests will be routed through Apple's private cloud computing service, not through open Google servers. Second, users can manage the conversation history using the same logic they are familiar with from iMessage. Google will not be allowed to use the conversations to train its own models.
Beta label also in the final release
The second piece of news from Gurman's report is unusual. Apple apparently plans to continue labeling the new Siri app as a beta even after its public launch this fall. Internal test versions of iOS 27 already display this label, along with a toggle that allows users to opt out of the Siri beta.
This approach isn't entirely new for Apple. Apple Intelligence itself was also labeled as a beta when it debuted in iOS 18, and some AI features still carry the label today. However, there's an additional factor at play with the Siri app: the overhaul originally promised for 2024 is now two years late. The beta label likely gives Apple internal leeway to deliver individual features later or to publicly address problems even after launch without appearing unfinished.
It's unclear what a potential opt-out switch will actually look like. It could be a separate setting alongside the existing Apple Intelligence switch – or an independent level within Apple's Intelligence architecture. More granular control would allow users to selectively disable individual AI functions instead of deactivating everything at once.
What else does the app offer?
The app's key features are already known from previous reports. It offers a history of past conversations, can be operated via voice or text, and accepts file uploads. A system-wide gesture is intended to allow users to start a new conversation at any time without having to open the app first. Users can choose between two interface options: a central conversation view similar to ChatGPT or a list view reminiscent of iMessage.
Behind the scenes, the technology runs on custom-built Gemini models. Google Cloud chief Thomas Kurian publicly described the partnership as a "monumental partnership" at Google Cloud Next 2026 and openly confirmed Apple as a cloud customer for the first time. This at least partially resolves the server issue: Apple and Google share the infrastructure, with Apple securing the data flow via Private Cloud Compute.
Open question: Depth of app integration
One key question remains unanswered in Gurman's report. For Siri 2.0 to become more than just a sleekly designed chatbot shell, the assistant needs to be able to deeply integrate with third-party apps - for example, to book flights, share content, or create calendar entries. Apple has been promoting these integrations to developers worldwide for months, but is encountering reservations about potential commission fees. Apple has reportedly indicated that no fees will be charged in the initial phase, but hasn't ruled them out for the future.
How many providers will be on board in time for WWDC will likely only become clear during the keynote. A Siri app with a beta label and auto-deleting chats will have a significantly different impact if fifteen popular third-party features are showcased on launch day – or just three.
The anticipation for June 8th
Gurman's report has noticeably heightened expectations for the WWDC keynote. Apple has clarified the date, technical basis, app concept, and data privacy mechanisms. What remains is the question of practical performance: Whether the Gemini-powered Siri truly performs on par with ChatGPT and Claude can only be assessed after the first beta tests. Until then, the beta label and the auto-deleting chats are the two levers Apple is using to mitigate the risk of its own debut. (Image: Shutterstock / Bendix M)
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