Apple Considers Allowing Third-Party Voice Assistants in EU, Highlighting AI Challenges

See Ya, Siri: Why Apple Might Make Third-Party Voice Assistants Available in Europe

Katie is a UK-based news reporter and features writer. Officially, she is CNET's European correspondent, covering tech policy and Big Tech in the EU and UK. Unofficially, she serves as CNET's Taylor Swift correspondent. You can also find her writing about tech for good, ethics and human rights, the climate crisis, robots, travel and digital culture. She was once described a "living synth" by London's Evening Standard for having a microchip injected into her hand. Apple is reportedly working on changes to the iPhone's operating system that will make it possible for people to choose an alternative voice assistant to Siri. The ability to switch from Siri to another voice assistant, potentially powered by third-party companies including OpenAI, Google or Meta, could be a reality in the near future, according to a report from Bloomberg -- but only for iPhone owners in Europe. Apple is preparing the changes to Siri in anticipation of the EU demanding the company to allow European users a choice of voice assistants, said Bloomberg. It would be similar to the shift in policy Apple has already made in allowing rival app stores onto the iPhone, which was sparked by Europe's Digital Markets Act. Apple has faced many regulatory hurdles with the EU in recent years, largely in the form of challenges to its proprietary technology and walled-garden ecosystem, which provide Apple device owners with high levels of consistency, privacy and security, but can make it hard for smaller companies to compete. These regulatory challenges often mean Apple is left with little choice but to make significant changes to the way its tech works. Some of these changes -- switching from Lighting connectors to the universal standard of USB-C, for example -- will affect Apple device owners globally. Others impact only those who live within the EU. Siri has been available on iPhones since 2011 and has spawned many copycats. But the advent of generative of AI over the past few years has seen a number of chatbots, perhaps most notably OpenAI's ChatGPT, rival and surpass Siri's capabilities, to the point where Apple is now seen as lagging behind competitors. Apple announced a AI revamp of Siri last year at WWDC, its June developer conference, but the company delayed its rollout. Apple Intelligence-powered Siri is still nowhere to be seen, and may not even make an appearance at this year's WWDC, according to Bloomberg. In light of this, it may be possible that European iPhone owners, when given the option, choose an alternative voice assistant. Unless Apple's hand is forced, there's currently no indication that people elsewhere will be given the same choice.

iPhone users may finally be able to ditch Siri for Gemini and ChatGPT

This freedom mimics Android's long-standing openness, but Apple could only make the changes in regions where it is legally mandated to do so. Apple's walled garden approach to its software ecosystem is a boon and a curse. While users are relatively safer within this walled garden, they are also bereft of the benefits of an open ecosystem. This difference is best highlighted when you compare iOS vs Android, where users can try out and choose default apps for several core system functions. With AI now taking centre stage, iPhone users are stuck with a lackluster Siri, but that could soon change, and you can thank the European Union for it.

Apple Will Reportedly Let iPhone Users in the EU Switch Away From Siri

Apple is planning to give users in the EU the ability to set a default voice assistant other than Siri, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman and Drake Bennett. In a lengthy report about Apple's artificial intelligence shortcomings today, Gurman and Bennett said Apple plans to introduce this change across multiple software platforms, which likely means the iPhone, iPad, and Mac at a minimum. Presumably, this means that users in the EU will be able to set options like Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant as their default voice assistant on Apple devices. Apple is working on this change in response to expanding EU regulations, the report said.

Apple could soon allow iPhone users to ditch Siri as the default assistant for ChatGPT or Gemini -- if you're in the EU

It appears that iPhone users could soon be able to change their default AI voice assistant, meaning Siri will no longer have dibs on Apple users' digital assistant needs. This news comes from a recent report from Bloomberg regarding Apple's enforced opening of its operating systems due to European Union rulings. As a result of this, iPhone users in the affected countries will apparently be able to switch their default assistant to other options like Google's Gemini or ChatGPT. It is also important to note that the report specifically mentions "operating systems," which would seemingly indicate that this will also be the case for iPadOS and macOS, too. This could be an enormous change for how Apple and its devices work, but it is worth noting that Apple is only applying the change in areas under EU law, which will, considering Apple's keeping third-party app store availability on iOS to only EU countries, leave other countries like the U.S. without the option. Interestingly, this could actually help to put Apple on par with Samsung and Google when it comes to AI on mobile devices. Currently, Apple users have been stuck in a constant cycle of waiting for Apple to release features that it announced alongside iOS 18 almost a year ago. But if Apple users were given the option to make use of a placeholder AI until Siri is ready? Well, that might be the best of both worlds. There's also a lot to love about Google Gemini, including the wealth of changes announced after The Android Show: I/O Edition. For instance, Google recently revealed several accessibility changes introduced for its AI, including improvements to Talk Back and the addition of expressive captions. Not only that, we also expect a lot more reveals in the upcoming Google I/O event on May 20. So, say that Apple users elect to simply wait for the new and improved Siri, how long would they be waiting for? For the most part, it seems that Apple plans to unveil its revamped assistant in the Fall of this year. The question of if it will be worth the wait is harder to answer, but Apple stated that the new Siri will be more conversational, as well as have awareness of personal context and be able to take action for you within and across your apps. For the time being, we'll have to wait to see what the result of Apple's AI plans are in the EU. However, there is little doubt that the company has a lot of ground to make up regarding AI if it wants to remain one of the best phones on the market.

Apple's 'AI crisis' could mean EU users will have the option to swap Siri for another default voice assistant

Executives are showing concern for the future of the company, as Apple falls behind competitors in the AI race Apple is reportedly working on tweaking its iPhone operating system to allow European users to choose a third-party voice assistant as their default option over Siri. The news comes via a bombshell Bloomberg Apple AI report by Mark Gurman and Drake Bennet, citing "a person with knowledge of the matter" and follows in the wake of Apple's public struggle to provide Siri with AI upgrades that were first revealed in June 2024. It's a situation that has already resulted in Apple pulling a range of AI-focused ads and "available now" claims from the Apple Intelligence webpage. These upgrades were originally supposed to launch in iOS 18.4 on March 31, but now appear to have been delayed with no firm release date. This report also claims that Google Gemini is on track to be added in iOS 19 as a ChatGPT alternative, according to people with knowledge of the plan. Alongside struggling to make Siri smarter, Apple is also now seemingly facing regulatory sanctions in the EU after already being fined for forcing users to use its own App Store. Right now, if you ask Siri on an Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhone (iPhone 15 Pro or newer) something like "How does CRISPR DNA editing work?" the virtual assistant currently has no answer - except to ask users if they'd like ChatGPT to answer. According to an Apple exec cited by Bloomberg, Apple's usual methodology is "we're late, we have over a billion users, we're going to grind it out, and we're going to beat everyone", but that's not working this time around. To back up its claims, Bloomberg's report notes that Eddy Cue - Apple's Senior Vice President for Services - is worried that "AI could do to Apple what the iPhone did to Nokia". Cue has recently been quoted during court testimony as saying it's possible the iPhone could be irrelevant 10 years from now, "as crazy as it sounds". While it ultimately might not have a choice when it comes to changes in the EU, Apple would obviously prefer Siri to be able to compete with Gemini and ChatGPT head on, but at this point, it does not appear to have a clear path when it comes to closing the gap, with a senior member of Apple's AI team stating, "This is a crisis... It's been sinking for a long time." While allowing users to ditch Siri for a third-party alternative would deal with the problem in the short term and could be a good thing for iPhone and Mac users, from Apple's perspective it would also be an undesirable admittance of that current state of affairs. In his court testimony, Cue stated that for the first time in 22 years, Google searches on Apple devices fell last month. The provided reason was that users were turning away from search engines and towards AI tools for gathering information. While Apple has a dedicated customer base that is going to continue to buy Apple devices almost no matter what, as AI becomes more integrated into people's work and personal lives, it may be the deciding factor for less loyal users. By comparison, Android devices have long allowed owners to switch to a different virtual assistant, something that's continuing into the age of AI. Apple has undeniably fallen behind when it comes to AI integration, but perhaps not disastrously so - and when it comes to such a world-changing technology, maybe that's not such a bad thing. Given how unreliable Google AI Overviews can be, it's certainly not an exact science. Acknowledging that they need time to get Siri to a point where it can rival the others, and giving users further functionality in the meantime, seems like a win/win for Apple and its customers - if the iPhone maker can swallow its pride.

Apple could soon let iPhone owners use alternative voice assistants to Siri, but you can call up Gemini or ChatGPT right now with this simple hack

According to a new report from Mark Gurman at Bloomberg, Apple is working on adding the ability to use alternative voice assistants, including AI chatbots like ChatGPT and Gemini, instead of Siri on iPhone for the first time. The move comes because Apple will need to comply with expected European Union regulations. Gurman quotes "a person with knowledge of the matter" as a source for his story, but he has a track record of being accurate when it comes to predicting what Apple is going to do next. According to the same report Apple is still working hard at making Siri, via Apple Intelligence, more conversationally believable, and have even set up offices in Zurich to create an "LLM Siri" in the future that will be more intelligent. So, it's certainly not a case of Apple abandoning Siri for other voice assistants, but it looks like it will have to allow third-party voice assistants to replace Siri on the iPhone if it wants to keep selling iPhones in the EU in the future. Of course, that could mean that the ability to use a different voice assistant could be limited to only iPhones sold in the EU, but either way, it opens up the possibility of using Google Assistant, or even ChatGPT or Gemini with your iPhone if you prefer it to Siri. Siri can already handoff complex requests to ChatGPT, but the implementation is clunky, and certainly not as smooth as it would be if ChatGPT was handling all the voice assistant tasks by default. Of course, you can actually use ChatGPT and Gemini with your iPhone right now via their apps, but a while ago I discovered a nice hack for calling up the voice mode of each AI from a simple press of the Action Button. While the AI chatbots can't interact with your phone settings like Siri can it at least gives you a feel for what it would be like if ChatGPT or Gemini was your voice assistant, and it's an excellent way of opening the AI apps quickly if you want to ask a question and need an answer fast. If you'd like to try this right now then simply follow these steps: In Settings choose the Action Button, and then Shortcut. Scroll down the list of apps you see here and choose either ChatGPT or Gemini, and then choose either 'Start voice conversation' or 'Talk Live with Gemini', from the options that appear.. (It's important to do it in the way described above and not access ChatGPT or Gemini via the 'Open App...' button, because this won't give you the voice mode options.) Now, when you give the Action Button a press and hold, you'll jump straight into a voice chat with your preferred AI chatbot. I actually set this up a while ago on my iPhone and I still use it all the time. I find it really hand for when I have a question that needs an answer and I'd rather ask ChatGPT using my voice than start typing with the keyboard. Remember, if you want to turn off Siri completely, or reduce accidental Siri activations, then in Settings > Apple Intelligence & Siri > Talk & Type to Siri you can turn "Hey Siri" off and change the settings for activating it.

Apple could let users replace Siri as the default virtual assistant

Apple's struggles with giving Siri a next-gen AI makeover are pretty well-known at this point, while rivals like Google's Gemini have flourished on the Android ecosystem. The situation with delays got so bad that Apple had to pull the ads showing Siri's advanced capabilities that are yet to ship nearly a year later. As a stop-gap solution, the company integrated ChatGPT within the Apple Intelligence stack on iPhones, letting the OpenAI chatbot handle queries that Siri can't answer. The company is also said to be in talks to bring more AI chatbots onboard in a similar capacity. Recommended Videos Down the road, Apple could let users fully replace Siri as their default voice assistant on Apple devices. That would be a massive shift, as Siri was one of Apple's standout innovations. Yet, due to a lack of competitive edge and regulatory pressure, Apple could eventually allow that, according to Bloomberg. "To meet expected European Union regulations, the company is now working on changing its operating systems so that, for the first time, users can switch from Siri as their default voice assistant to third-party options, according to a person with knowledge of the matter," says the report, which cities interviews with multiple Apple employees. Why does it matter? In its current shape, if you ask Siri questions such as "Who won the best Oscar for direction in 2023?" or "What principle is best suited for understanding fluid motion in a closed loop," it can't answer them. Instead, it would offload them to ChatGPT, after asking users' permission. The bigger theme, however, is that Siri is here to stay. But letting users completely replace it with a third-party product -- like Google's Gemini, Anthropic's Claude, or OpenAI's ChatGPT -- would send a clear message that Apple can't compete in the AI assistant race. Apple can't allow that. Yet, given the current status of Siri, many users have already shifted to rival chatbots such as Gemini, ChatGPT, and Perplexity, which are now getting increasingly integrated with third-party services. My tests with Gemini on an iPhone tell me that Google's assistant is already superior to Siri in a lot of ways. Bloomberg's long report suggests users will also eagerly switch away from Siri if Apple allows them to replace it. "Barring a major leap with Apple's products, many users may make that switch," it adds. Apple has already made some big concessions for users in the EU bloc, such as allowing third-party app stores, external in-app payment options, and the ability to change default messaging and calling apps, too. What's next in AI for Apple? Apple is already working on the next-gen iteration of Siri, internally codenamed as LLM Siri, that offers the same kind of capabilities as modern age AI chatbots. Yet, as per previous reporting, that overhaul is at least a year, or two away. To develop it, Apple is also enlisting users to contribute data for training purposes. The company is reportedly trying to set apart the Apple Intelligene branding from Siri, so that it can continue developing new AI-powered features without having to share a spotlight with the lagging virtual assistant. As part of this strategy, Apple is eyeing new features such as an AI-assisted battery management tool and a personalized health coach. The company is also said to be planning a more mellow approach to feature announcements after the Siri misadventure. "Apple, for the most part, will stop announcing features more than a few months before their official launch," adds the Bloomberg report. We'll get to know more about the company's future roadmap at the WWDC 2025 conference next month.

Apple may let EU users shift from Siri to other voice assistants | AppleInsider

Apple is reportedly preparing to allow iPhone users in the EU to select third-party voice assistants to be the default, instead of Siri. Apple has tried hard to deal with the regulatory changes in the European Union, such as the Digital Markets Act and Digital Services Act. It now seems that Siri could be the next major victim in the Apple ecosystem from those rule changes. According to Bloomberg on Sunday, Apple is working to meet EU regulations that affect Siri. Specifically, Apple is working to enable other digital assistants to operate in Siri's place. Under the plans, users in the EU will be able to select a third-party voice assistant to work on an iPhone, a person with knowledge of the work explained. This will also include letting users set the third-party assistant as the default for their device. That could mean iPhone users in the EU have the opportunity to use Google Assistant instead of Siri. There's the possibility of using AI chatbots too, such as ChatGPT or DeepSeek. Apple currently allows for users to ask Siri to pass verbal queries over to ChatGPT. Such a change could eliminate the step of using Siri as a go-between with the third-party service. As always for Apple's features, it is unclear when it will eventually emerge in the EU, but it probably won't be offered on a plate. Apple tends to fight to maintain its services in the face of regulation, so it may require pressure from the EU to comply with laws before Apple actually introduces it.

iPhone voice assistant switch could let users ditch Siri in the EU

The iPhone voice assistant switch might finally be happening, at least in the EU. According to Bloomberg, Apple is preparing to allow iPhone users to set third-party AI assistants like Google Gemini or ChatGPT as their default, replacing Siri altogether. This move appears to be Apple's way of complying with the EU's Digital Markets Act. Siri, once tightly locked into the Apple ecosystem, may soon lose its default status in Europe. While Apple already lets Siri route queries to ChatGPT, the new rules would let users bypass Siri entirely. It's a major shift that could change how iPhones work in key markets. As with most Apple rollouts, the timing remains unclear. It's also unlikely this option will extend to users in the US or other regions any time soon. For now, the change seems squarely aimed at keeping regulators happy in Europe. Meanwhile, Apple is still working behind the scenes to give Siri a serious upgrade. Internally, Apple is testing a large language model-based assistant that's reportedly "on par" with the latest ChatGPT builds. There's no firm release date yet, but don't expect it at WWDC. At the earliest, Apple's new AI-powered Siri could arrive later in the iOS 19 cycle. Whether you plan to stick with Siri or explore alternatives like Gemini, the iPhone voice assistant switch could mark a turning point in how Apple balances control with compliance, and how much freedom iPhone users actually get.

The EU Is Forcing Apple To Loosen Its Grip On Siri, Opening Doors For Rival Assistants Like Google Assistant And Redefining User Choice On iPhone

Apple has been working endlessly to improve Siri and get it to a level that better competes with the likes of Google Assistant and ChatGPT. Simultaneously, the company is in hot water in the EU, as it could be forced to give users the ability to choose a voice assistant other than Siri. While it would provide users with more control and freedom over their preferences, the move could hurt Apple's own digital assistant. Mark Gurman and Drake Bennett stated in a detailed Bloomberg report that Apple could be planning to introduce a change in the EU that will allow users to set their own digital assistant on the iPhone, the one that best fits their needs and preferences. The lengthy report shares details on Apple's artificial intelligence shortcomings and how it has remained under the cover even after months of development. The report also mentions that the same change could be available on the iPad, Mac, and other devices, or possibly devices yet to be announced, including the forthcoming smart home hub. Users will basically have the option to set default digital assistants like Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and more. This could also allow companies such as OpenAI to launch their own version of an assistant derived from ChatGPT. If this is the case, the future of ChatGPT integration with Siri is a bit unclear. However, it could be years before the company launches its own digital assistant, as it needs to have a product first. Sam Altman and Jony Ive appear to be working on a range of products, but we are not sure when they will see daylight. Apple is not bringing the change to the public out of its own goodwill but is being forced by EU regulations, according to the report. The company was also forced to open its app store for developers, allowing them to offer their apps outside of the Apple Store. Moreover, the company also lets iPhone users in the EU set third-party messaging, browsing, and navigation apps as the default option. The EU has gotten a strong hold on Apple in the region and is stirring every little aspect that the company has grasped tightly over the years. The EU also imposed the USB-C transition from Lightning on the new iPhone models. We will let you guys know how it pans out, so do stick around for more details.