This update marks the first time Apple has allowed any assistant to take over Siri’s role at the system level.
A major shift is coming to the iPhone, but only for users in Japan, at least for now. Apple is preparing to let people replace Siri with any third-party voice assistant on the iPhone, thanks to a new feature hidden inside the latest iOS 26.2 developer beta.
The change was first spotted in beta 3 of iOS 26.2, which contains new Side button settings that allow users to assign a different voice assistant to the long-press action, traditionally used to summon Siri. Apple has now confirmed through developer documentation that this capability is meant specifically for Japan.
Japan gets the first official Siri alternative
According to Apple’s documentation, iPhone users with an Apple Account set to Japan and a device physically located in Japan will soon be able to map the Side button to: Google Gemini, Amazon Alexa or any other app offering a voice-based conversational experience
This means pressing and holding the Side button will launch the chosen assistant directly, without involving Siri as an intermediary.
However, the feature depends on developers opting in and updating their apps to support Side-button activation. Apple says these apps should start an audio session instantly so users can speak right away.
Why Japan
Earlier speculation suggested this feature was arriving to comply with the EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA), which requires Apple to give third-party apps fair access to hardware features like the Side button. But Apple’s documentation confirms the rollout is tied to Japan’s Mobile Software Competition Act Guidelines, which impose similar requirements around competition and interoperability.
Apple says the new shortcut is available only in Japan for now, though expansion to other regions is possible.
Could the Siri replacement feature come to the EU next?
Very likely. The EU’s DMA explicitly states that users must be able to easily change default systems, including the virtual assistant. Reports from earlier this year already hinted that Apple was preparing to open Siri’s position to rivals in Europe.
If Japan’s rollout goes smoothly, Apple may extend the feature to comply with EU rules as well.
A new era for voice assistants on iPhone
This update marks the first time Apple has allowed any assistant to take over Siri’s role at the system level. While deep integration, like controlling iPhone settings, will still remain Siri-only, the ability to launch a competing assistant through the Side button is a significant shift.
For now, only users in Japan will get the freedom to swap Siri for another AI. But if global regulations keep pushing Apple, this could soon become a worldwide change, giving iPhone users a real choice of voice assistant for the first time ever.
The article originally appeared on Hindustan Times
