San Francisco, March 17, 2025 — Apple, a tech giant historically praised for its polished product rollouts and seamless innovation cycles, is now facing mounting criticism as delays in its advanced Siri AI features raise concerns about the company’s credibility. The delayed rollout has prompted a sharp reaction from analysts, investors, and devoted Apple enthusiasts alike.
A Promised Revolution That Never Came
The controversy stems from Apple’s ambitious announcement during its Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in 2022, where the company unveiled plans to significantly enhance Siri’s capabilities. These upgrades promised a more intuitive voice assistant equipped with contextual awareness, improved conversational abilities, and tighter integration with Apple’s ecosystem. The vision captivated audiences and heightened expectations.
However, as of March 16, 2025, those features remain unfinished, despite repeated references to the enhanced Siri experience in Apple’s marketing campaigns, including those tied to the iPhone 16 launch. This failure to deliver has fueled customer frustration and skepticism regarding Apple’s ability to maintain its high standards of execution.
John Gruber’s Harsh Criticism
Adding weight to the criticism, prominent Apple observer John Gruber has voiced sharp concerns about the company’s credibility. Known for his measured take on Apple’s progress, Gruber’s unusually strong comments underscore the growing perception that Apple’s once-reliable product pipeline may be faltering.
“For years, Apple earned its reputation by delivering groundbreaking technology on time and in full working order,” Gruber stated in a recent podcast. “These repeated delays are damaging that hard-earned trust, and they’re raising real questions about the company’s strategic focus.”
Gruber’s remarks align with broader investor anxiety, as Apple’s stock recently experienced a significant decline. While market analysts cite multiple factors influencing the downturn—including economic pressures, sluggish iPhone sales, and geopolitical trade concerns—the stalled Siri features have become a prominent symbol of Apple’s struggles.
Missteps in Product Strategy?
Critics argue that Apple’s current approach to product announcements deviates from the company’s traditional strategy. Historically, Apple adopted a “ready-when-it’s-ready” philosophy, unveiling new products only when they were polished and primed for release. Yet, recent trends suggest Apple has leaned more heavily on ambitious previews of unfinished technology, raising the risk of unmet expectations.
Some insiders attribute the delay to Apple’s aggressive AI ambitions, which reportedly required substantial engineering resources and pushed internal teams to their limits. The complexity of integrating generative AI models, natural language processing, and privacy safeguards into Siri has compounded development challenges.
Industry Optimism Amid Doubts
Despite the controversy, not all analysts are pessimistic. Some view Apple’s AI setbacks as part of a broader learning curve as the company refines its strategy. “Apple has historically stumbled before excelling in new domains,” said Morgan Allen, a tech analyst at FutureTech Insights. “The same was true for services like Apple Maps, which faced significant criticism at launch but gradually improved to become a top-tier navigation platform.”
Allen suggests that while the delayed Siri features present short-term challenges, Apple’s investment in AI could ultimately strengthen its ecosystem and improve consumer experiences across devices.
Looking Ahead
For Apple, the path forward appears fraught with pressure to deliver. With competitors like Google and Microsoft advancing their own AI offerings at a rapid pace, Apple’s ability to recover may hinge on swiftly regaining customer trust.
“Apple needs to acknowledge the delay and re-establish its reputation for delivering high-quality products on schedule,” Gruber emphasized. “Otherwise, the company’s narrative risks being defined more by broken promises than technological breakthroughs.”
As Apple faces this critical juncture, both consumers and industry observers will be watching closely to see whether the tech titan can reclaim its reputation as an innovation leader—and whether Siri will finally deliver on its long-promised evolution.