New Spotlight database: Apple prepares old iOS for Siri AI
The switch to Apple's new AI system requires re-indexing the system. With iOS 26.6, Apple is now taking initial steps.
Siri AI relies on existing data.
(Image: Apple)
With the release of iOS 27 in September and the introduction of Siri AI, Apple is finally managing to implement the context-aware AI functions announced over two years ago – albeit initially only outside the European Union for regulatory reasons. To prepare the Siri, which has been rebuilt into a chatbot, Apple is already making internal changes. As can be seen from the release notes for iOS 26.6, which is expected to be released in the coming days, the topic of the Spotlight database is being addressed.
Preparatory measures for old operating system
Spotlight is Apple's central local search system on iPhone, iPad, and Mac, which is set to improve overall with the new operating systems. With iOS 26.6 – and presumably also iPadOS 26.6 plus macOS 26.6 – the company is now beginning to optimize the database index. With the update, it will be “optimized,” Apple writes. The company explicitly mentions a “preparation for iOS 27.” What this specifically means for people who initially want to stay on iOS 26 is unclear. It could be an internal change that is not noticeable to current users or a new feature that is already noticeable under iOS 26.
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Recently, iPhone users with iOS 26 have reported an increasing number of problems concerning Spotlight usage. For example, after restarting the device, it took longer for searches to (re)function. Finding images in the photo library by keyword could also fail initially, then normalize again after some time. Whether this has to do with already implemented changes to Spotlight or is simply due to late bugs in iOS 26.5 and higher is unclear. However, the errors only appeared in recent weeks, at least on a test device in the Mac & i editorial office.
Siri AI suddenly gets (much) better
Anyone using the beta of iOS 27 with Siri AI on an already used iPhone knows that it can take days at first until the re-indexing of Spotlight for the AI system is completed – some users even report weeks. With iOS 26.6, Apple now seems to be starting the process, so that the switch appears faster later on.
On the iPhone, it is currently not possible to see how far the process has progressed. Unlike on the Mac, where there is a progress bar, this is missing under iOS. It is still unclear whether Apple plans to display a notification upon completion of the index work. For users, the process is quite confusing, as Siri AI initially finds too little but then becomes significantly better later on. Siri AI can use the entire iPhone data, such as finding old chats, appointments, or emails. Apps can also be integrated as long as developers use current APIs.
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