Apple has a two-speed Siri, and most users don't know they're on the slower one.
The company runs two versions of its on-device AI model inside Apple Intelligence. AFM Core Advanced — the most capable variant — is locked to three specific iPhone models. Every other Apple Intelligence-capable device runs a less powerful version. The split is hardware-gated: the advanced model demands processing resources that most iPhones don't have. Apple has not prominently flagged this distinction in its marketing.
The fragmentation matters because Apple spent years promising a smarter, more capable Siri. When it finally arrived, Apple quietly divided its lineup into tiers. Buyers who assumed that any Apple Intelligence-capable phone delivered the full experience are finding that the fine print tells a different story.
Apple is not alone here — Google and Samsung have both tiered AI features by chipset generation. But Apple built its reputation on a simpler proposition: you buy an iPhone, you get the full iPhone. That story is getting harder to tell.