Gemini Can Now Replace Siri On iPhone But There Is A Catch

Siri's big AI revamp is coming with the iOS 26.4 update next spring, finally bringing the AI voice assistant vision that Apple demoed at WWDC 2024 last year. That's what reports say as of this writing, though nothing is certain. Apple can always delay the new Siri AI features, like it did earlier this year. However, MacRumors reports that some iPhone users will be able to replace Siri with a different voice assistant, including Gemini, which is a more powerful AI tool than Siri, as soon as iOS 26.2 rolls out. While that might sound like good news to iPhone users, the feature won't be available worldwide, because two important requirements apply.

First, you can replace Siri with a different assistant only in Japan, where Apple has to adhere to new regulation that forces smartphone makers to open their devices to competing services. Second, iPhone users in Japan who want to ditch Siri for Gemini or a different voice assistant can't do it by simply selecting a different option from Settings. App developers would have to enable the functionality. For Gemini, Google would have to build the new capability into one of its existing apps. That's the only way to turn a voice assistant like Gemini into the iPhone default.

The iOS 26.2 beta 3 release brought the first signs that Apple is preparing support for third-party voice assistants in Japan. The feature will be tied to the Side Button. Long-pressing the button invokes Siri on the iPhone. After the final iOS 26.2 release, app developers can offer consumers a different voice assistant as the new default. Whether it's Google's Gemini or something else, the replacement will be accessed via the same gesture, a long-press on the Side Button. Apple published support documentation that states that only users in Japan will be able to set a new default voice assistant: "In Japan, people might place an action on the side button of iPhone that instantly launches your voice-based conversational app."

From the looks of it, users won't be able to use voice commands to invoke a third-party assistant. Also, it's unclear if Siri can still be accessed via voice if a third-party assistant like Gemini is paired with the Side Button. MacRumors notes that Japan's Mobile Software Competition Act requires Apple to open core iPhone features to third parties, including voice assistants. The legislation says that companies like Apple can't give preferential treatment to their own services for virtual assistant access. The new rules go into effect in December, which explains why Apple has added the new functionality in iOS 26.2.

The new feature isn't exactly surprising. In May, a Bloomberg report said that iPhone users in the European Union might be able to replace Siri with a third-party assistant. The EU was the first jurisdiction to force Apple to open core iPhone features to third parties to increase competitiveness. However, Siri remains the default voice assistant on iPhone in Europe as of this writing.