According to MacRumors, iOS 26.2 beta 3 contains multiple code references indicating Apple is preparing to let iPhone users in the European Union replace Siri with third-party voice assistants as their default. The beta includes specific text like “Select Another Default Side Button App” and region-based restrictions that suggest the change will be limited to EU countries. This would allow services like Google’s Gemini or Amazon’s Alexa to activate when users press and hold the Side Button, a gesture currently reserved exclusively for Siri. The move appears directly tied to compliance with the EU’s Digital Markets Act interoperability rules that require gatekeepers like Apple to provide equal access to hardware features. Bloomberg had previously suggested such a change was coming for EU users, and iOS 26.2 might be the update that finally delivers it.
EU Pressure Works
Here’s the thing about Apple—they rarely give up control voluntarily. But when the European Union comes knocking with legislation like the Digital Markets Act, even the most walled gardens have to open their gates. We’ve already seen this play out with alternative app stores and third-party payment systems in the EU. Now it’s Siri’s turn. The DMA specifically requires that users be able to “easily change the default settings” for virtual assistants, and Apple’s code changes show they’re taking that requirement seriously. Basically, when regulators have real teeth, even the biggest tech giants have to listen.
Voice Assistant Wars
This could completely reshape the voice assistant landscape in Europe. Right now, Siri has this massive built-in advantage because it’s the only option that gets that prime real estate—the Side Button hold. But if Google can get Gemini to activate with the same gesture? That changes everything. Amazon’s Alexa, which has struggled on mobile, suddenly gets a fighting chance. And what about newer AI-powered assistants? This could be their ticket to mainstream adoption. The winners here are obviously the alternative assistant developers who’ve been locked out of Apple’s ecosystem for years. The loser? Siri, which will have to compete on merit rather than default status.
Regional Patchwork
What’s fascinating is how Apple is handling this geographically. The code specifically mentions region-based restrictions, meaning this freedom will likely only extend to EU users. So we’re looking at another fragmented user experience where your iPhone’s capabilities depend on where you live. Remember when Apple rolled out RCS messaging but only for EU users initially? This feels like that same pattern—minimum compliance where required, business as usual everywhere else. It creates this weird situation where the same iPhone model has different core functionality depending on which side of an invisible border you’re on.
What’s Next
Now, the big question: will people actually switch? Siri has its critics, but changing defaults requires effort. Will enough users care to make the switch? And how will Apple present the choice? Will they make it easy to find in Settings, or bury it somewhere obscure? Given their track record with other DMA-required changes, I’m betting on the latter. Still, this represents a significant crack in Apple’s walled garden. Once users get used to having choices for core system functions like voice assistants, it becomes harder to justify keeping those walls up elsewhere. The genie doesn’t go back in the bottle easily.
