I’m a longtime iPhone person, and final 12 months my iPhone modified in methods I by no means thought doable. I can load third-party app shops, use third-party fee programs, and even sideload apps. I may change default iPhone apps to third-party equivalents. I undoubtedly by no means thought any of that may be doable on my iPhone, contemplating how onerous Apple has fought to maintain these options off its cellular platforms.

I by no means requested the EU to compel Apple to make these modifications to iOS, and I haven’t personally used any of the “perks” the Digital Markets Act (DMA) pressured Apple to supply. I don’t wish to sideload apps on my iPhone and gained’t use various app shops or their fee programs anytime quickly. As for default iPhone apps, there’s only one app I’d select over Apple’s, although I don’t actually should. That’s Google Maps, my go-to navigation app.

But when there’s one default iPhone app price changing with a third-party choice, it’s Siri. European customers might quickly get that selection. Within the age of genAI software program like ChatGPT and Gemini, changing Siri is a extra thrilling concept than swapping out some other default app.

Siri was irritating lengthy earlier than ChatGPT got here alongside. Whereas Apple was the primary to showcase voice assistant capabilities for a computing gadget, it by no means capitalized on that lead. Amazon and Google shortly supplied higher voice experiences.

As soon as ChatGPT arrived, AI reshaped what voice assistants might do. ChatGPT has a powerful Superior Voice Mode that allows you to discuss to the AI. It isn’t a full assistant because it doesn’t combine with cellular apps, but you possibly can chat with it.

Then there’s Google Assistant, which has developed into Gemini within the AI period. Gemini Reside additionally permits you to work together with the AI by voice.

Siri can’t sustain. Apple gained’t give Siri ChatGPT-like capabilities till a lot later, and the Siri AI expertise revealed at WWDC 2024 might not arrive till subsequent 12 months.

Apple continues to be working on turning Siri right into a chatbot. A brand new Bloomberg report says Apple is creating a brand new Siri app from scratch. That’ll take time, and Apple most likely gained’t say a lot about Siri in the course of the upcoming iOS 19 phase at WWDC 2025.

The identical report says Apple is contemplating letting iPhone customers within the EU replace Siri with a third-party assistant. It’s unclear which assistants might be out there, but Gemini is the obvious guess.

Google transitioned Google Assistant to Gemini over the previous 12 months. The AI chatbot now replaces Google Assistant on Android telephones, and Gemini is increasing to all gadgets operating Google software program, together with watches, automobiles, TVs, and Android XR good glasses.

Gemini is now central to every thing Google does, so turning it into an assistant is smart.

You need to use Gemini on the iPhone by way of a standalone app. But what should you might totally replace Siri with Gemini?

I’d say the identical for ChatGPT, which I favor over Gemini, but I’m unsure it might operate as successfully as a default assistant.

We don’t but know what degree of entry Apple would give third-party assistants. Siri can create calendar occasions, ship texts, and management good residence gadgets. It doesn’t all the time get it proper, but it interacts with a wide range of iPhone apps.

I’d anticipate related entry for Gemini if it’s allowed to replace Siri. But I may see a state of affairs the place Gemini is restricted to surfacing information from Google apps only.

In that case, ChatGPT wouldn’t provide a lot past answering questions. Changing Siri with ChatGPT would simply give quicker entry to OpenAI’s chatbot. But you possibly can already do this with Apple Intelligence on supported iPhones by assigning ChatGPT to the Motion button.

There’s lots of guesswork right here. Switching from Siri to a third-party AI assistant is much more sophisticated than swapping the Mail or Maps app for Gmail or Google Maps. If Apple is working on the characteristic, as required by the EU, we’ll want to attend for an official announcement to see the way it will work.

Will I swap from Siri to Gemini if it’s an choice? I most likely gained’t, since I’m not a giant Gemini person. But others might wish to, particularly whereas Siri lacks AI options.

I’ll say once more, Apple ought to make these options out there worldwide, not simply within the EU. The continued resistance isn’t doing the corporate any favors, particularly with the reputational harm from latest occasions. Siri AI turning out to be vaporware and the embarrassing court docket defeat within the anti-steering case haven’t helped.

It’s most likely only a matter of time earlier than extra regulators all over the world observe the EU’s lead. Apple ought to embrace these modifications globally, together with letting customers select their default apps. Most people will doubtless nonetheless stick to Apple’s personal apps.