Overview
- Apple’s developer documentation confirms iOS 26.2 will allow iPhone users in Japan to assign the Side Button to a third-party voice-based conversational app instead of Siri.
- Use requires an Apple Account region set to Japan and the user’s physical presence in Japan, with region eligibility checks enforced.
- Developers must adopt App Intents and add the com.apple.developer.side-button-access.allow entitlement, and Apple instructs apps to begin an audio session immediately on launch.
- The functionality appears in iOS 26.2 beta 3 with a new SystemVoiceAssistant component, and iOS 26.2 is expected to ship broadly in December.
- Eligible assistants could include Alexa, Google Gemini or ChatGPT if their developers opt in, and any availability beyond Japan has been reported as possible but remains unconfirmed.