Apple is announcing a big new feature for iOS 27: you'll be able to choose which AI powers Siri. Claude, Gemini, or ChatGPT — one toggle in Settings, and you're done.
Sounds revolutionary. It isn't. What Apple is framing as a breakthrough, Android users have had for years.
Still, it's good news — even for people with iPhones.
What's changing
Apple calls the new system "Extensions." AI providers can plug their models in as app extensions. Install the Claude app or the Gemini app, set your preference in Settings, and that model takes over for Siri, Writing Tools, and Image Playground — everywhere Apple Intelligence lives.
Confirmed for iOS 27:
- ChatGPT (OpenAI) — already available since iOS 26
- Gemini (Google)
- Claude (Anthropic)
- More providers to follow
There's also a voice distinction: when Siri hands off to a third-party model, that model responds in a different voice. So you always know who's actually talking.
Android has had this for years. Literally.
On Android, you've been able to set your default AI assistant freely for as long as the platform has had voice assistants. Google Assistant, Gemini, Amazon Alexa, Samsung Bixby — or entirely custom solutions. Some setups even let you route queries to locally running models via apps like OpenWebUI.
And Android runs on hardware across all price points. A capable mid-range Android phone starts at €200–300 and gives you the same freedom of choice as the latest flagship iPhone — which costs considerably more. Apple Intelligence, by contrast, is locked to Apple hardware.
What Apple is doing here isn't innovation. It's catching up. Apple actively prevented this kind of openness for years, and is now presenting the retreat as progress.
Why the choice still matters
"Which AI" isn't just a technical question. It's also a privacy question.
ChatGPT sends your queries to OpenAI — a US company. Gemini goes to Google. Claude goes to Anthropic. Each has different privacy policies, different rules about how long your inputs are stored, and different stances on training data.
The simple rule of thumb: if you don't trust Google, you won't feel better about Gemini powering your iPhone. If you distrust OpenAI, having an alternative matters.
What you still can't choose
Locally running models like Ollama are not part of the Extensions system. Apple is opening the interface to external providers — not to self-hosted infrastructure. Android is still more flexible here.
Also worth noting: all listed services have free tiers with usage limits. Full performance typically requires a subscription.
When is this coming?
iOS 27 is expected in fall 2026 alongside the next iPhone generation. The information so far comes from leaks and analyst reports — Apple hasn't officially confirmed anything yet. Details may still change.
Bottom line: good that Apple is doing this. Would have been better three years ago.