The Talk Show With John Gruber · Tuesday, August 11, 2026
While the new Siri AI in iOS 17 betas demonstrates strong personal context capabilities, digging effectively into phone data like mail and messages, it has shown regressions in performing basic tasks that the older Siri could handle reliably. Examples include issues with setting timers, adding items to lists, and controlling HomeKit scenes.
“The new stuff that it can do with personal context, digging into everything on your phone, mail, mail messages, reminders, wallet, all of that stuff has been remarkably reliable.”
“But where I've started to have more problems, and it's weird because it started in the later betas, is where trying, trying to do things that old, the old version of Siri could do right 9.9 out of 10 times.”
“So, setting a timer, adding something to my shopping list, controlling a home kit scene.”
“That that side of things is really buggy for me.”