This is Hamamoto from TIMEWELL.
"A giant company falls behind a major technological shift, fails to adapt, gets left behind, and disappears without recovering" — this is a story that has been told again and again throughout the tech industry.
In 2025, Apple fell significantly behind in the AI race. Repeated delays in Apple Intelligence, the removal of ads promoting features that didn't yet exist — these events highlighted how even the world's largest technology company was struggling to respond to the AI era.
But in 2026, Apple is fighting back. A rebuilt Siri powered by Google Gemini, AI performance more than quadrupled by the M5 chip, and a new Siri set to launch in spring 2026. CEO Tim Cook has stated that things are "on track," signaling a determined push to reclaim lost ground in AI.
This article explains the current state of Apple Intelligence, the journey from 2025's "failures" to 2026's potential revival, and the lessons businesses can draw from Apple's experience.
Apple Intelligence: Key Facts for 2026
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| New Siri Release | Spring 2026 (expected March–April) |
| Google Partnership | Siri rebuilt leveraging Gemini |
| M5 Chip | GPU AI performance over 4x that of M4 |
| AI Glasses | Preview planned for second half of 2026 |
| Supported OS | New features expected with iOS 26.4 |
Table of Contents
- What Is Apple Intelligence? — From the 2024 Announcement to Now
- 2025's "Failures" — Delays and a Crisis of Credibility
- 2026's Turning Point — Google Gemini Partnership and the M5 Chip
- Then vs. Now: The Evolution of Apple's AI Strategy
- Lessons for Businesses
- Summary
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What Is Apple Intelligence? — From the 2024 Announcement to Now
The rapid rise of artificial intelligence — generative AI in particular — has sent shockwaves through the entire technology industry. ChatGPT's dramatic arrival and its subsequent widespread adoption made it clear that AI is not merely an experimental technology; it is a next-generation core technology capable of deeply penetrating every aspect of our lives and businesses.
Components of Apple Intelligence
Announced at WWDC (Worldwide Developers Conference) in 2024, Apple Intelligence comprises the following features:
| Feature | Overview | Availability (as of January 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Writing Tools | Writing assistance, proofreading, summarization | Available in iOS 18.1 |
| Notification Summaries | Summarizes notification content | Available (disabled in some apps) |
| Genmoji | Generate original emoji | Available in iOS 18.2 |
| Image Playground | Generate images from text | Available in iOS 18.2 |
| Visual Intelligence | Camera-based information recognition | Available in iOS 18.3 |
| New Siri | Screen awareness, contextual understanding, in-app operations | Planned for Spring 2026 |
Apple's "Second-Mover Strategy"
Apple has historically achieved success through what is called the "second-mover strategy" — waiting for competitors to mature a technology, then delivering a polished version aligned with Apple's own philosophy that dominates the market.
The iPhone, OLED displays, AirPods — Apple entered fields where others had gone first and succeeded by offering more complete products.
However, the AI revolution differs in nature from previous hardware-centric innovations. AI — particularly large language models (LLMs) and generative models — is fundamentally software-driven, and its pace of evolution is extraordinarily fast.
Competitors adopted a "rapid iteration" approach, while Apple's traditional method of "taking time to pursue perfection" found itself unable to keep up with AI's speed of development.
2025's "Failures" — Delays and a Crisis of Credibility
Apple Intelligence began with great fanfare when announced at WWDC 2024. But 2025 became the year in which the gap between promises and reality was exposed.
A Series of Delays
At iPhone 16 Launch The iPhone 16 series was marketed as "designed from the ground up for Apple Intelligence," yet at launch none of the Apple Intelligence features were available.
iOS 18.1 (Late 2024) Writing Tools and Notification Summaries were added, but the notification summary feature displayed incorrect information in news apps, causing quality issues. The feature was subsequently disabled in some apps.
iOS 18.2 (End of 2024) Genmoji, Image Playground, and ChatGPT integration were added. However, these were considered "peripheral features," not the "core" users had been waiting for.
iOS 18.3 (First Half of 2025) Visual Intelligence was added. The ability to read information with the camera proved practical, but the most anticipated "new Siri" still had not appeared.
The Ad Removal Incident
In 2025, Apple was forced to remove an ad it had created and published.
The ad depicted a user asking Siri for the name of a past meeting participant, with Siri instantly answering by cross-referencing calendar and contact app information. However, this feature does not actually exist.
Advertising a feature that didn't exist as though it were available, then having to retract it — this revealed just how pressured and disorganized Apple had become in its AI strategy.
The Reason for Siri's Delay
According to reports, the new Siri was delayed because "it only worked correctly about two-thirds of the time." By Apple's quality standards, this accuracy was insufficient to ship.
This is a symbolic example of how Apple's "perfectionism" has become a hindrance in the AI era.
2026's Turning Point — Google Gemini Partnership and the M5 Chip
From 2025's "failures," Apple is reaching a major turning point in 2026.
The Google Gemini Partnership
In January 2026, it was reported that Apple would rebuild Siri using Google Gemini. This represents a significant shift in Apple's AI strategy.
What the Partnership Entails:
- Google's Gemini and cloud technology applied to Apple's foundational model
- Utilizing Gemini's capabilities while preserving privacy through Apple Private Cloud Compute
- A multi-year long-term partnership
This partnership could be seen as Apple acknowledging that its own AI development alone cannot catch up with Google and OpenAI. At the same time, it reflects Apple's pragmatic decision to "partner with those you cannot beat."
New Siri Features (Expected Spring 2026)
The new Siri expected with iOS 26.4 (around March–April 2026) is anticipated to offer:
| Feature | Overview |
|---|---|
| Onscreen Awareness | Recognizes and processes information on screen |
| Contextual Understanding | Cross-app information recognition across mail, messages, and calendar |
| Multi-Step Tasks | Executes a sequence of multiple operations |
| Natural Conversation | More human-like dialogue |
CEO Tim Cook has explicitly stated that "the enhanced Apple Intelligence Siri will be released in 2026 as scheduled."
M5 Chip and AI Performance
The M5 chip is expected to power Apple's 2026 Mac lineup.
M5 Chip AI Performance:
- GPU AI computing capability over 4x that of M4
- 10-core GPU with Neural Accelerator in each core
- Significant boost to on-device AI processing
This will dramatically improve Apple's highly valued "on-device AI" capabilities, enabling sophisticated AI features while preserving privacy.
AI Glasses Vision
A preview of Apple's AI glasses is also planned for the second half of 2026.
- No display; built-in speakers and camera
- Functions as an iPhone accessory (similar to Apple Watch)
- Leverages Visual Intelligence
- AI-powered environmental recognition and information presentation
Following Meta and Google, Apple's entry into the AI glasses market is set to intensify competition in wearable AI.
Then vs. Now: The Evolution of Apple's AI Strategy
| Item | Then (First Half of 2025) | Now (January 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Siri | Delayed, release timeline uncertain | Spring 2026 release planned |
| AI Foundation | Self-developed only | Google Gemini partnership |
| Chip | M4 | M5 (AI performance over 4x) |
| AI Glasses | Rumor level | Preview planned for second half of 2026 |
| HomePod | Unchanged | New "HomePad" smart home hub expected |
| Market Perception | Criticized for AI lag | Anticipation of comeback |
From the "embarrassing" situation of 2025, Apple is steadily moving forward. The bold decision to partner with Google, hardware reinforcement through the M5 chip, and the provision of concrete release schedules — all of these demonstrate that Apple is finally getting serious about competing in AI.
Lessons for Businesses
Apple's 2025 struggles and 2026 comeback offer lessons that businesses can learn from.
1. The Limits of "Perfectionism"
Apple's philosophy of "don't release until it's perfect" was effective in the hardware era. But in the AI era, speed is everything.
Apple held back new Siri because it "only worked two-thirds of the time." Meanwhile, competitors release imperfect products and improve them through user feedback.
Lesson: In the AI era, "release early and iterate" is more effective than "wait for perfection"
2. The Shift Away from "Going It Alone"
Even Apple, the world's largest technology company, has acknowledged that it cannot win in AI through self-development alone, and has partnered with Google.
Lesson: In the AI era, partnering with companies that have complementary strengths is the key to competitiveness
3. Balancing Privacy and AI Performance
Apple has prioritized "on-device processing" and "privacy protection," but advanced AI features require cloud processing. Apple Private Cloud Compute is one answer to this dilemma.
Lesson: Privacy and AI performance are not mutually exclusive — ways to achieve both should be pursued
Summary
In 2025, Apple fell significantly behind in the AI race. Removed ads, Siri delays, internal voices calling the situation "embarrassing" — the struggles of the world's largest technology company symbolized the fierce competition of the AI era.
But in 2026, Apple is fighting back.
Key Takeaways:
- New Siri planned for spring 2026 (iOS 26.4)
- Multi-year partnership with Google Gemini to strengthen AI foundation
- M5 chip delivers AI performance over 4x that of M4
- AI glasses preview planned for second half of 2026
- CEO Tim Cook has explicitly stated things are "on track"
Whether Apple can overcome this critical moment and once again demonstrate its innovative spirit remains to be seen. But the bold decision to partner with Google, hardware investment through the M5 chip, and the provision of concrete schedules all indicate that Apple is serious.
For businesses, Apple's case offers a valuable lesson about the risks of clinging to past success and the importance of adaptability to change. The AI era operates under different rules than before. Apple's trajectory is a theme worth watching closely as we look to understand the future of the technology industry as a whole.
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