Siri with Gemini, what it means for search on Mac
Nov 3, 2025
Siri with Gemini, what it means for search on Mac
You remember the clause, not the filename. The figure in a PDF, not the folder. With the news that the next Siri may lean on Google’s Gemini for some AI features, many Mac users wonder if this will finally fix search. It will help with web answers. It will not reliably open the exact page, slide, frame, or timestamp inside your files. That is the gap Fenn fills, private on device.
The news, what is confirmed vs reported
Confirmed, from Google: Google is transitioning Assistant to Gemini across devices.
Reported, from credible outlets: Apple’s Siri revamp is planned for next year, and for some capabilities Apple may use a Gemini-based model that runs on Apple’s Private Cloud Compute. The goal is better web reasoning and query handling while keeping Apple’s interface and privacy posture.
What this means: Expect smarter web answers and broader assistant features. Do not assume it will search inside your files with the precision pros need.
How Siri search may work for you
Web questions, summaries, light tasks: Stronger, faster, more contextual.
Local files, deep recall: Apple will still rely on Spotlight and app integrations. These work on filenames and limited metadata. it can't jump to the exact page or timestamp you remember.
Privacy path: Apple will keep more on device and route heavier AI to Private Cloud Compute. This is good for web answers. It does not give you page or frame precision across PDFs, decks, audio, and video.
Why typical Mac tools fail for file recall
Filenames and metadata only. Spotlight and Finder search filenames, a bit of content for a few formats, and stop there.
No page or frame precision. You land at the file start, then scroll.
Screenshots and images are blind spots. Text inside images is hit or miss.
Audio and video are opaque. You cannot jump to the right sentence or frame.
Can't understand complex query. You cannot use natural language query with Spotligth
Solve the precision gap with Fenn
Fenn is an AI-powered file search engine for macOS that opens the exact moment inside your files, private on device by default.
Step by step, a fast walkthrough
Pick sources. Choose folders or apps to index.
Index, on device. Fenn reads documents, PDFs, images, audio, and video. It extracts text inside images and screenshots.
Search with one shortcut. Use Semantic, Keyword, or Hybrid mode. Type what you remember, like “NDA termination clause” or “Q3 margin slide” or “she mentions HIPAA at minute two”.
Open the exact moment. Fenn jumps to the page, slide number, audio timestamp, or video frame, with contextual snippets.
Privacy by default. Everything is on device. You can enable optional cloud indexing for speed and scale if you want it.
Mini case, before and after
Before: A researcher has 200 PDFs and screenshots. Spotlight finds filenames, not the figures. Ten minutes of scrolling per answer.
After with Fenn: One query, “figure showing GLP-1 dropout at week 24”. Fenn opens the right PDF, at the exact page. Another query, “minute when Dr. Patel mentions dose escalation”. Fenn jumps to the audio timestamp. Three minutes total, private on device.
When to use Siri or Gemini vs Fenn
Use Siri or Gemini: Web lookups, quick summaries, general knowledge, reminders.
Use Fenn: Your files, your compliance, your speed. You need exact page, slide, or timestamp, and you want on-device privacy.
Internal links to deepen the journey
Learn how to find text in images and screenshots on Mac, then open the right page.
See how to search inside Office documents on Mac, including long Word and PowerPoint files.
Speed up note recall with search Obsidian notes on Mac, then jump straight to the line you need.