Apple is reportedly preparing to offer European users the ability to set a different default voice assistant on their devices, moving away from its long-standing reliance on Siri. This significant development was revealed by Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman during a recent podcast discussion with journalist Drake Bennett, which focused on the limitations of Apple Intelligence, the company’s suite of AI-driven features.
According to Gurman, Apple is planning to implement this change across multiple product lines, including the iPhone, iPad, and Mac. If the plan goes forward, users in the European Union could soon be given the freedom to designate voice assistants such as Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant as the default on their Apple devices—a notable shift from the current model where Siri is the built-in and primary option.
This move appears to be a direct response to evolving regulatory pressures in the European market. Over recent years, the EU has been actively enforcing digital competition rules to ensure greater consumer choice and to curb the dominance of major tech platforms in certain areas. Apple, known for its tightly controlled ecosystem, has already made several changes to comply with these laws. For instance, EU-based users can now select third-party apps as their default for web browsing, email, messaging, and navigation—freedoms that were previously unavailable on iOS and macOS.
Bloomberg reporters claim that the company is already working on this change to comply with EU rules.
Expanding this flexibility to voice assistants would represent yet another step by Apple to align its practices with EU regulations. It also reflects growing scrutiny over Apple’s control of its software environment and how that affects competition and innovation.
If implemented, this policy change could significantly impact user experience and the competitive landscape for digital assistants in Europe. It would allow users who prefer the features or integrations offered by other services—such as Google Assistant’s search capabilities or Alexa’s smart home ecosystem—to integrate those tools more deeply into their Apple devices. Additionally, it could spur greater innovation in the voice assistant market by encouraging third-party developers to create more compelling alternatives.
While Apple has not officially confirmed the rollout date or technical specifics of this feature, the news signals a potential shift in how the company approaches interoperability and user choice, at least in markets where it faces regulatory mandates. As Apple continues to evolve its product ecosystem in response to external pressures, European consumers may soon find themselves with more control over the digital assistants that power their daily interactions with technology.
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