Apple first unveiled Siri in 2011 — when the iPhone 4S was released. Since then, the Cupertino company has been upgrading its virtual assistant, adding new settings and advanced integrations in the process. However, almost objectively, Siri still lags significantly behind Google Assistant. The latter can have longer, more natural conversations, while Siri still sometimes struggles to execute basic commands. What both have in common, however, is hot word support on compatible devices. Users can say “Hey Siri/Google” to activate the respective assistant. This makes controlling our devices hands-free a simple and convenient matter. In an effort to simplify the activation process, Apple is reportedly working to ditch “Hey” in favor of “Siri” in 2023 or 2024. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman believes the company has been working on this project for months, and he’s testing it with some of his employees collecting feedback. Gurman underscores how complex this task is, stating: While this may seem like a small change, the change is a technical challenge that requires significant AI training and underlying engineering work. Complexity includes Siri being able to understand the single phrase “Siri” in many different accents and dialects. Using two words – “Hey Siri” – increases the chance that the system will receive the signal correctly. In addition to changes to Siri’s activation phrase, Apple could be working on integrating the virtual assistant deeper into third-party apps. The ultimate goal here is to allow it to better understand users and perform the right tasks. These potential changes to Siri are very welcome — as they could further encourage users to depend on this assistant. Many people avoid using Siri because of its limited capabilities. By simplifying the word and providing deeper integrations, it can become an engaging virtual assistant that consumers truly rely on. Do you actively use Siri? Why or why not? Let us know in the comments section below. Source: Bloomberg
