Apple Might Change “Hey Siri”
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It has been reported that Apple wants to stop using the ‘hey’ in “hey Siri”.
Apparently, Apple is teaching the voice assistant Siri to understand commands without needing ‘hey’. “Hey Siri” is used to activate the Siri voice assistant on Apple products like the iPhone, iPad, HomePod, and Apple Watch.
The change could start next year or in 2024. Apple has not responded to questions about it.
It seems like a small change, but experts say that it requires a lot of training for the AI voice assistant. AI can more easily and accurately understand two words than one word. Understanding just one word is especially difficult in large, empty rooms and noisy places.
However, Microsoft changed from “Hey Cortana” to just “Cortana” in 2018, and Amazon users only need to say “Alexa” to give commands to that voice assistant. On the other hand, Google still requires users to say “OK Google” to start its AI voice assistant.
Recently, Apple, Amazon and Google have begun collaborating. The companies want to make sure that future smart products from different companies work well together.
Siri first launched in February 2010 as an app on the Apple App Store. Two months later, Apple bought the company that made Siri. In 2011, Apple included Siri with the iPhone 4S. Then, in 2014, Apple made it possible to activate Siri by saying “Hey Siri”.
Siri has gotten a lot better since the first app. It can now work with third-party apps, answer more questions, and understand more languages and accents, although not perfectly.
Some think that Apple will announce the “Hey Siri” change with other improvements to the system.
Vocabulary16 words
- Report
- to tell other people about something; to share information; announce; explain
- Apparently
- it seems; based on the appearance of things; as far as one knows; supposedly;
- Voice assistant
- virtual assistant; a software that can perform tasks or services based on commands or questions
- Command
- an order; instructions; demand; request;
- Activate
- make something start working; turn on; start; switch on
- AI (artificial intelligence)
- human intelligence in a machine. See more here.
- Especially
- to show that something is greater or more important than other things; particularly; notably; specifically; for the most part
- On the other hand
- a phrase to show contrast; to express an opposite idea or opinion
- Collaborate
- work together on an activity or project;
- Smart
- connects to a computer, phone or the internet (smartphone, smart watch, smart TV, etc.)
- Launch
- start selling something; introduce a new product
- App (application)
- software, especially for smartphones and tablets
- Include
- to have something smaller as a part of it; to contain as part of a whole; incorporate
- Third-party
- a company that is not the main manufacturer or provider; a person or business that is involved, but not the most important;
- Accent
- the way people in one area or country pronounce words; a way of talking shared by a group; how people in different countries or cities say words
- Announce
- share information openly; to tell the public; to make a statement; to report
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