After years of discussion about how Apple hasn’t really updated Siri much, the company has promised a smarter version of its digital assistant. With the release of iOS 18.1, Siri will get new features and improvements thanks to something called Apple Intelligence, which is Apple’s new AI technology.
However, some of the bigger updates for Siri, like working with OpenAI’s ChatGPT and being more aware of what’s on your screen, won’t be available right away in iOS 18.1.
Here’s a look at what the new Apple Intelligence can do for the upgraded version of Siri.
Better understanding of language
Apple is making it easier for people to talk to Siri. Now, Siri can understand everyday speech better, even if you mix up your words. For example, you could say, “Siri, set an alarm for—oh, wait, set a timer for 10 minutes. Actually, make that five,” and Siri will get what you mean.
Also, you can ask Siri follow-up questions without repeating everything. If you ask where your next family reunion is, Siri will tell you the location. Then you can just ask, “What will the weather be like there?” without having to say the location again.
Type To Siri
Until now, you could only talk to Siri using your voice. But now, with Apple’s new feature, you can also type your questions instead. Just double-tap a button on your iPhone or iPad, and you can ask Siri anything without speaking.
This is really useful if you’re in a quiet place and don’t want to be loud or in a noisy place where it’s hard to hear. Typing your questions makes sure Siri understands what you’re asking.
Siri now knows about products.
Siri has been updated to understand more about Apple products, so you can now ask it questions about how to use your iPhone, iPad, or Mac, especially when you’re not sure how to do something new.
For example, if you want to know how to schedule a text message to send later, just ask Siri, and it will guide you through the steps. Before, you would have had to dig through settings and help pages to find that information.
What’s Coming Soon
While these features are launching on Monday, Apple plans to add even more capabilities to Siri.
Soon, Siri will be able to use information from OpenAI’s ChatGPT to answer certain questions. For instance, if you want recipe ideas based on ingredients you have from your garden, you can ask Siri, and it will use ChatGPT to give you some suggestions. You don’t need a ChatGPT account, but you will need to allow Siri to connect to it.
Read Also: Elon Musk’s xAI has Added the Ability to Understand Images to its Grok Platform.
Siri will also get better at understanding your personal context. This means it can access information on your device to help you. For example, if you’re trying to find a recipe that your friend Alice shared with you, you can ask Siri to “find Alice’s recipe from a few days ago.” Or if you need your passport number for a flight, Siri can look it up in your emails or photos.
Additionally, Siri will learn to recognize what’s currently on your screen and be able to take actions based on that. For example, if your friend sends you a new address in a text, you can ask Siri to add it to their contact information.
Siri will also be able to work across different apps. You can ask it to enhance a photo in the Photos app and then send it to someone in Messages without needing to open each app separately. Siri will handle all of this for you!
