Apple Siri to get faster, better with upcoming software update

For India, Apple has a big news to share for the consumers. Come September, Siri will be able to understand English mixed with the user’s regional language.

Apple, earlier this week hosted World Wide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2021 event. During the four-day (June 7-11) programme, it showcased the new software-- iOS 15, iPadOS15, macOS Monterey, watchOS 8, and tvOS 15- that will be rolled to the public this fall.

Among many new features, the new software is also bringing new capabilities to Siri, which by the way will turn 10 later this year (October). It made its debut on the iPhone 4S in 2011. Now, as per the latest report by Apple, Siri is being used on more than 600 million active devices each month.

Since its debut, Apple's digital assistant has improved in terms of understanding the context of the user's query. But, it is not on par compared to rivals such as Amazon's Alexa and Google Assistant in giving out proper results in terms of replying back in voice. But, it is all going to change for Siri later this year.

Here are some of the biggest improvements coming in Siri:
1) For the first time ever, Apple Siri will be able to work without the internet. This means This will put an end to companies recording audio bytes and storing them in cloud storage to offer better responses to voice commands. This makes Siri more secured than Amazon's Alexa and Google Assistant, which always need internet and are notorious for taking more sound bytes than required to their server.

Going forward, the audio will remain in the Apple devices, and based on on-device intelligence (thanks to advanced Apple's Silicon chipset paired with a powerful neural engine), Siri will be able to deliver better results to the query than before.

For instance, if the user tells Siri to message or call Rohit, it will be able to quickly understand who the right person is even if the contact list has another man with same name. Based on the frequency of calls and messages, it will know who the right receiver is.

Also, if the user is viewing content on the web and wants to share the link with a friend. The user just needs to say Hey Siri send this to Rohit. If the on-screen item cannot be sent, then Siri will suggest a screenshot and sends it immediately.

2) Continuity has been a bane for Apple device users to interact with Siri. This will also change for good later this year. For instance, if the user asks s query-- Hey Siri, when will the Bengaluru Bannerghatta Biological Park open? and he/she can continue to ask- 'How long does it take to get there? without having to repeat the park name.

3) If you are using AirPods, Siri will automatically announce the incoming messages and calls. Also, Siri can automatically announce important and time-sensitive notification. For instance, when a user sets a location as a reminder such as a grocery store, Siri will read out the shopping list.

4) Based on the owner's routine, Siri can even anticipate what the user might need to help breeze through the day.

5) Users can set up multiple reminders and alarms with Siri

Siri features. Credit: Apple

6) When Siri recognises events in apps like Mail or Messages, it suggests adding them to your calendar.

7) For India, Apple has big news to share for consumers. Come September, Siri will be able to understand English mixed with the user’s regional language. At the start, it will be able to understand Kannada, Telegu, Tamil, Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Gujarati, Malayalam, and Punjabi.

8) With the new software coming this fall, Siri will offer the neural text-to-speech voice in more languages including Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, and Finnish.

9) Also, the new update for HomePod mini is bringing a voice-recognition feature. It will enable Siri to offer personalised recommendations, curated music playlist,s and more to each member of the house.

10) Also, Siri digital assistant for the first time ever making its way to non-Apple devices later this year. The company is offering the HomeKit software package to accessory makers to enable Siri on their devices.

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