Apple is introducing a radical new feature for iPhone users in Japan with the iOS 26.2 update. A key integration detail discovered in the company’s newly released iOS 26.2 beta eliminates the requirement to assign the long-press gesture to Siri.
Removing the Siri Requirement
This will allow iPhone users in Japan to activate a third-party digital assistant by long-pressing the side button. This development is a first for the Apple ecosystem and marks the beginning of a significant transformation.
The code for iOS 26.2 beta 3 includes new settings confirming that Apple has opened the side button functionality to a non-system assistant. These settings include “Assign the Side Button to Another Default App,” “This app can no longer be used with the side button,” and “Not supported in your region.”
According to current information, this feature will only be available to iPhone users in Japan. Both the device and Apple ID must be registered in Japan to use the feature. Users who meet these requirements will be able to default to Google Gemini, Amazon Alexa, or other third-party assistants approved by Apple instead of Siri.
The timing of this change is directly related to the Mobile Software Competition Law passed in Japan this year. This law prohibits digital platforms from granting privileges to their own services over hardware keys.
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