Artificial intelligence-driven voice assistants have rapidly progressed over the past year, with platforms like Google’s Gemini and OpenAI’s ChatGPT providing enhanced understanding, quicker responses, and more adaptable features. In comparison, Apple’s Siri has frequently faced criticism for being behind its competitors. Now, Apple seems poised to change this dynamic by allowing users greater choice in selecting their voice assistant on iPhones. With the release of iOS 26.2 beta 3, Apple has announced that users will eventually have the ability to substitute Siri with a third-party voice assistant. According to the company’s latest developer documentation, iPhone users will be able to activate an alternative assistant—such as Gemini or ChatGPT—directly using the Side Button.
This represents one of the most significant changes Apple has implemented in its voice assistant framework in years. However, a major limitation exists for users to consider. Feature Limited to Japan Only Despite its transformative potential for the iPhone experience, Apple has specified that this new feature will initially be available exclusively to users in Japan. The company’s developer notes indicate, “In Japan, users might assign an action to the side button of the iPhone that immediately launches your voice-based conversational app.” This does not imply that all users in Japan can switch to a new assistant without restrictions. Developers must first update their apps to align with the system-level integration Apple is enabling.
Furthermore, the feature will only function if both the Apple Account region is set to Japan and the device is physically located in the country. This decision seems to arise from regulatory pressures. The initiative aligns with the Mobile Software Competition Act Guidelines issued by the Japan Fair Trade Commission, which advocate for increased competition and reduced platform limitations. Apple’s compliance indicates the company is responding to local demands rather than indicating a global policy change—at least for the time being. A Major Siri Upgrade May Be on the Horizon While users outside Japan may feel excluded, Apple is working on a significant overhaul of Siri as part of a broader AI upgrade.
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Reports suggest that Apple plans to invest $1 billion to integrate Google’s Gemini technology into Siri next year. Notably, Apple intends to operate this advanced model solely on its own servers to ensure that no user data is shared with Google or any external entities. This indicates Apple’s desire to uphold strong privacy controls while still leveraging state-of-the-art AI models. If successful, the new Gemini-powered Siri could help Apple bridge the gap with its more sophisticated AI competitors. For the time being, the option to replace Siri exists—but is confined to Japan.