[DigitalToday reporter Kyung-min Hong (홍경민)] As Apple considers adopting a Siri chatbot app as its next-generation artificial intelligence (AI) strategy, an analysis suggests it may be more effective to expand its existing iMessage app into an AI integration platform.

According to IT outlet 9to5Mac on March 22 (local time), Apple took a negative stance on a Siri chatbot format when it first unveiled Apple Intelligence. More recently, the possibility has been raised of introducing a Siri app in iOS 27 based on a next-generation Apple foundation model.

9to5Mac said the shift could be a meaningful starting point, but that using a messaging app ultimately has greater potential. If users use Apple's default Messages app, which they already use daily, as an AI conversation window, they can use the features naturally without a separate learning or access process, securing accessibility and convenience at the same time.

Using iMessage is also expected to be straightforward to implement. User experience can be organized by setting up Siri-based conversations as separate threads within Messages or by adding an option to separate conversations by AI service. This is seen as a practical way to expand AI functions without significantly disrupting existing messaging use.

If third-party developer participation expands, the ecosystem could grow more as well. Apple currently offers a range of AI apps through the App Store, but it cannot control the user experience in an integrated way at the platform level. If a message-based AI platform is built, Apple would be able to directly manage the core of the user experience and provide a more consistent service environment.

Some services already show iMessage's AI potential. For example, services such as Poke operate within iMessage using a Mac mini server, showing that an AI experience using messages can be implemented in practice. Apple’s enterprise business chat function also has a similar direction, but it has been cited as having limits due to a lack of developer friendliness.

With that in mind, if iOS 27 introduces a new API that lets developers implement conversational AI services within the Messages app, potential uses are expected to expand further. Users could perform various AI functions within the messaging environment without launching separate apps. For example, they could receive remote code management or personal finance management alerts directly via messages, simplifying use while increasing usefulness.

At the same time, there is also a view that not all AI services will be able to fully replace standalone apps. Some developers are likely to try to keep their own apps due to concerns about platform dependence. A complete replacement may not be easy as the need for standalone apps remains, but in areas where easy access through messages matters, it could still secure a distinct competitive edge.

Message-based AI could also be used not only on iPhones but across Apple devices such as iPads, Macs and Apple Watches, widening user touchpoints. Compared with an existing app-centric structure limited to specific devices, this offers an advantage in securing a broader user base and has been raised as a possibility that it could become an important pillar in Apple's AI strategy going forward.