iOS 26.2 beta 3 gives the clearest sign yet that Apple is getting ready to let you swap Siri with a third-party voice assistant. The latest beta includes new code that points to a system-level option for changing what happens when you press and hold the iPhone’s side button. Right now, only Siri responds to that gesture. Soon, you may choose something else.
Developers found references to a new SystemVoiceAssistant app inside the iOS 26.2 beta 3 code. They also spotted strings about assigning a “voice-enabled app” to the side button. This discovery follows earlier hints in iOS 26.2 beta 2, where developers already noticed groundwork for customizable side button controls.
The beta includes language that tells users they can select another assistant in Settings. It even warns when an app is “not available for use with the Side Button in your region.” That detail matters because availability depends heavily on local rules.
A New Default Assistant Option
The feature appears tied to regulatory pressure. Apple is adding this capability first in Japan. Apple’s documentation confirms that users in Japan will soon replace Siri with options like Gemini or Alexa when they press and hold the side button. This change follows Japan’s Mobile Software Competition Act, which forces platform owners to offer equal access to core functions such as voice assistants.
Apple mentions that the default side button app cannot be hidden or locked. Users will simply switch assistants inside Settings and continue with the same side button gesture. The wording also shows that the iPhone will block apps that are not eligible for the feature.
Why Apple Is Doing This Now
Japan’s rules take effect in December 2025, so iOS 26.2 arrives at the right moment. Earlier reporting from Bloomberg outlined a similar requirement for the European Union. While Apple could expand the feature to the EU later, the company states that Japan is the only confirmed region for now.
iOS 26.2 itself arrives next month with several visible updates, such as tweaks to Liquid Glass, offline Apple Music lyrics, and Apple Podcasts improvements. Yet the bigger story sits under the hood. Apple is preparing iOS for a future where Siri is no longer the only assistant tied to the hardware.
This move marks a rare shift in control, giving users real choice over how they interact with their iPhone.
