Apple to Allow Default Third-Party Voice Assistants on iPhone in EU

What you need to Know

• Apple is allowing third-party voice assistants as default on iPhones in the EU due to compliance with the Digital Markets Act (DMA).

• Users will be able to replace Siri with assistants like Google Assistant or ChatGPT and invoke them using the side button.

• Apple will roll out this feature quietly, without major announcements, to downplay the impact on Siri.

• The rollout date is unknown, but it’s expected sometime in late 2025 or early 2026.

---

In a revolutionary change that's sure to disrupt the iPhone experience, Apple is set to enable iOS users within the European Union (EU) to make third-party voice assistants their default over Siri. Yes, you read that correctly! For the very first time ever, iPhone users will be able to invoke Google Assistant, ChatGPT, or others with the side button, courtesy of regulatory influence by the EU's Digital Markets Act (DMA).

So what's behind this shift? And what does it actually mean for you, the iPhone user? Let's dive in and break it all down.

The modification is in light of the Digital Markets Act (DMA) a regulatory set of rules adopted by the European Union to promote fair competition and restrict the monopolistic practices of technology leviathans. One of the key philosophies of the DMA is to provide users with greater liberty and choice, particularly in relation to picking default apps and services.

This mandate, as per Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, Apple is adhering to by developing a feature that would enable iPhone owners within the EU to set a third-party voice assistant as the default. This is a major move away from Apple's long-standing closed ecosystem, where Siri has always been the sole assistant available through the side button on iPhones.

So what does this look like in practice?

In the near future, if you are in the EU you will be able to set Google Assistant or a voice-only ChatGPT-powered assistant as your default assistant on iPhone. You will be able to:

• Press the side button and be able to access Google Assistant instead of Siri.

• Use ChatGPT natively to answer spoken queries instead of Siri as an intermediary.

• Customize your voice assistant behaviour on iPhone - just like Android users have been able to do for years and have a plethora of third-party assistant options (Many Assistants).

It also means that Apple Intelligence's Siri-powered instances could retain less importance for users that prefer better/ more advanced alternatives.

Right now, Siri has a limited integration with OpenAI’s ChatGPT, where it can relay your requests to ChatGPT for advanced queries. But with the upcoming changes, Apple will reportedly allow users to bypass Siri altogether and interact directly with ChatGPT or other assistants.

Picture this: You press your iPhone's side button, and rather than saying "Hey Siri," you're presented with ChatGPT's AI framework, capable of doing everything from booking a meeting to creating a recipe out of thin air. That's not only user preference that represents a giant step toward full-fledged voice assistant personalization on Apple devices.".

Here's the twist Apple isn't being too public about this feature yet. As Mark Gurman points out, Apple is going to roll out the update quietly, no fancy keynote announcement. Why?

Apple just doesn't want to draw attention to a change that damages Siri, one of its flagship services. It's a begrudging step, compelled by regulation, not something Apple is eager to trumpet.

So, although an exact release date has not been announced yet, we can hope to see this feature become available later in 2025 or early 2026 as part of Apple's EU compliance updates.

One important note: This will be an EU-only feature, at least in the near term. Apple is only making this switch where it is required by law, so users in the U.S., India, and elsewhere will remain saddled with Siri unless regulators in those markets follow the EU's lead.

But this creates a significant precedent. As more governments examine the aggressive behavior of tech giants, comparable legislation could follow in short order, broadening this freedom to iPhone users around the world.

This may seem like a minor shift, but it's a giant victory for user control and digital freedom. iPhone owners have been stuck with Siri for years, whether they wanted to or not. Now, at least in the EU, Apple is being compelled to throw open the gates providing users with the right to decide who assists them in controlling their digital lives.

Whether you’re excited about switching to Google Assistant, ChatGPT, or something else entirely, one thing’s for sure: the future of iPhone customization is starting to look a lot more like Android and that’s not a bad thing.

Stay tuned for updates as Apple gets closer to releasing this quietly revolutionary feature!