Ahead of iPhone 17 launch, report says new Siri will control apps on Apple devices by voice alone

India Today

2 days ago

Apple is said to be working on a new version of Siri that could allow users to operate apps entirely through voice commands, without needing to touch the screen. The feature is expected to be part of a larger Siri upgrade planned for next year and could change the way people interact with their iPhones and other Apple devices.As per Bloomberg's Power On newsletter, this upgrade is linked to an improved version of 'App Intents,' a system that would let Siri carry out specific actions within apps. For example, a user might ask Siri to search for a particular photo, make edits, and share it with a contact. It could also handle tasks like adding comments on social media posts, browsing products on shopping apps and placing them in the cart, or even logging into certain services, all through voice commands.advertisementApple has been trying to make Siri more capable for years, but the assistant has often been criticised for not understanding requests or handling them accurately. Earlier this year, the company delayed some advanced Siri functions, including the ability to pull personalised information from texts, emails, maps, and photos to create customised responses. This feature was showcased at Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in 2024 and even appeared in an advertisement featuring actor Bella Ramsey. However, the ad was later withdrawn after a lawsuit alleging false advertising.
While the delay disappointed many, the report suggests that a more important update is the deep integration of Siri with third-party apps, which has not been talked about much publicly. Apple reportedly sees this as a key step for future devices, such as a planned smart display and a tabletop robot, both of which would rely heavily on natural, voice-based control.Testing for the new Siri is currently taking place with several apps, including Apple's own services and popular third-party platforms like Uber, Amazon, YouTube, Facebook, WhatsApp, Threads, Temu, and some gaming apps. However, in sensitive categories like banking and health, Apple is said to be limiting Siri's capabilities to avoid errors that could have serious consequences.Inside the company, engineers are focusing on making the system accurate and reliable. Voice assistants in general have struggled with misunderstandings, and Apple does not want a repeat of past problems where Siri failed to perform as promised. The company's global data operations team is reportedly checking Siri's responses against real-world data to spot mistakes and improve performance before the feature is released.The current plan is to roll out this new voice-control ability in the spring, alongside a wider overhaul of Siri's underlying systems. Apple is also expected to promote it heavily as a major step forward for its ecosystem. If successful, the new Siri could make it possible for users to control most of their device experience without lifting a finger. It could also give Apple a fresh selling point for its hardware at a time when competition from other AI-powered assistants is growing.With the iPhone 17 launch expected later this year, all eyes will be on how Apple positions Siri in its next phase. The company has promised big improvements before, but delivering on this vision will require the feature to be fast, precise, and widely compatible.- Ends