Apple’s Siri AI Gambit, Moneyview Trims IPO Size & More

Apple’s High-Stakes Gamble On Siri AI

Two years on, Apple’s rebuilt Siri AI has now finally arrived with iOS 27. But most of its advanced AI features are limited to premium devices, feature access remains uneven and a subscription model may be on the horizon. So, will Siri AI justify the price?

The Long-Awaited Siri: The new launch is Apple’s attempt to turn its voice assistant into a more personal, context-aware interface. Siri AI can draw on information across messages, email and photos, understand what is on screen and act within compatible apps. But not everyone will get to experience the full version.

A Fragmented Experience? The iOS 27 update will reach a broad group of iPhones, but Apple Intelligence and Siri AI will require newer devices. Advanced features will need higher memory and have been reserved for select premium products. This creates a two-tier experience: many users can access Siri AI, but only high-end devices will be able to receive its fullest version.

The India Test: Just like its US peers, Indian users will also receive broad availability for several Apple Intelligence tools. But availability does not guarantee a seamless experience. Siri AI must understand local accents, different speech patterns and multilingual habits if it is to feel truly useful in India. Early reports suggest uneven reliability in routine tasks even though users expect an assistant to be fast and dependable.

The New Apple Tax: The cost question extends beyond buying an AI-ready iPhone. Apple has indicated that some server-based AI features will have usage caps, adding that higher access could carry a fee from 2027 onward. This could push Siri AI into a tiered subscription model, likely linked to iCloud+. On top of this, developers will also have to quickly build compatible apps for Siri AI. 

So, can Apple turn Siri AI into a must-have service rather than another expensive ecosystem lock-in? Let’s find out…

From The Editor’s Desk

Moneyview Trims IPO Size

• The fintech unicorn has halved the size of its fresh issue to ₹750 Cr as against ₹1,500 Cr proposed earlier. It has also slashed its offer for sale component to 10.04 Cr equity shares from 13.6 Cr previously.
• This comes as early backers such as Tiger Global, Accel, Crimson Winter, Ribbit Capital and others have cut the number of shares they intend to offload. However, Moneyview did not disclose the timeline for the opening of its public issue. 
• Founded in 2014, Moneyview runs a digital-first lending platform that provides unsecured personal loans to underserved and new-to-credit customers. It has raised over $250 Mn to date and had AUM worth ₹19,814 Cr at the end of December 2025.

Rumblings At InsuranceDekho

• The IPO-bound startup’s cofounders – CEO Ankit Agrawal and CTO Ish Babbar – are looking to step down from their executive roles due to disagreement with board members about the strategic direction of the recently merged business.
• With a potential IPO on the horizon, the startup’s two founders could likely move into promoter roles while professional management takes over the business. However, the startup has denied that the cofounders are looking to exit from their executive roles.
• This comes days after InsuranceDekho announced the completion of its merger with rival insurance distributor RenewBuy. The combined entity claims that its premium book is worth over ₹6,600 Cr and it offers more than 750 insurance products.

Lenskart Doubles Down On AjnaLens

• The omnichannel eyewear giant has acquired an additional 1.8% stake in the extended reality startup’s parent Dimension NXG for ₹8 Cr. With this, Lenskart’s holding in AjnaLens has increased to 9.01% from 7.21% earlier. 
• Lenskart first invested in the startup in July last year. It then picked up an additional 0.68% stake in February this year and another 1.69% shareholding in July. Together, these three deals cost the listed company ₹18.5 Cr.
• The deals come as Lenskart looks to strengthen its foothold in the XR, AI and smart wearable technology ecosystems. It has already debuted its Phonic audio glasses and plans to launch AI-powered smart glasses soon. 

RBI’s New Cyber Safety Protocols

• The Reserve Bank of India has proposed a new framework, which establishes a uniform procedure for banks dealing with accounts and transactions suspected of being linked to money-mule activity or cyber-enabled financial fraud.
• The proposed framework directs banks to freeze only the suspected transaction amount rather than the entire account. A temporary debit-hold will only be permitted as a last resort when the account itself is suspected to be a money-mule account.
• Account holders would get 20 days to explain the account activity, after which the bank must review the response within 10 days. The draft rules are scheduled to take effect from April 1, 2027. 

Google’s New Accelerator Cohort

• The big tech giant has selected four Indian startups for the maiden cohort of its ‘AI for the Planet (APAC)’ accelerator initiative, which aims to address urgent environmental challenges using AI.
• The four startups — Terrastack, Varaha Climate, Farmers for Forests and Climitra Carbon — will join a cohort of 16 startups operating across the Asia Pacific region.
• Over the next three months, these startups will receive access to the Google AI stack, tailored technical support and expert mentorship to scale their sustainability-focused AI solutions.

Inc42 Markets

Inc42 Startup Spotlight

How Saubha Aerial Systems Is Putting Parachutes On Drones

From logistics to defence, drones are moving into new sectors every day. Yet, one motor failure can turn a valuable aircraft into a falling object. Saubha Aerial Systems is building the safety layer to make unmanned aerial vehicles more reliable and resilient.

Safety Net For Drones: Founded in 2025, Saubha is building aerospace-grade safety and security systems for unmanned aircraft. The startup’s product portfolio includes emergency recovery systems for drones, including parachutes, ejection mechanisms and trigger systems. Its Para range supports payloads from 4 kg to 25 kg and is designed to bring drones down at roughly 5 m/s, reducing damage to both the aircraft and people or property below.

Saubha’s Product Stack: The Bengaluru-based startup has developed three parachute deployment mechanisms. Springshot uses a spring-powered system for smaller drones, Airlaunch relies on compressed air for rapid deployment and Pyrolaunch uses a pyrotechnic mechanism for mission-critical applications.

The Emergency Trigger: The startup’s Mayday Autonomous Flight Trigger monitors flight behaviour through multiple sensors and can activate the recovery system when it detects a critical failure. Meanwhile, Lifeline provides a manual, pilot-controlled alternative. It also offers customised recovery systems based on payload and other operating conditions.

As drones become more common, can Saubha make emergency recovery systems a standard safety feature in Indian UAVs?

Infographic Of The Day

From Emergent to SatSure, homegrown ventures are building the models, infrastructure and products shaping the country’s AI boom. So, which top tech executives are building the tech behind India’s biggest AI bets?

The post Apple’s Siri AI Gambit, Moneyview Trims IPO Size & More appeared first on Inc42 Media.