Potential Announcement at WWDC
At the upcoming WWDC keynote, Apple may potentially announce a significant change to Siri’s current operation, moving away from the “Hey Siri” trigger phrase and opting for a simpler “Siri” trigger instead, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. This change has been a subject of speculation for some time, and it seems that its implementation could be closer than previously thought.
Drop ‘Hey Siri’ Trigger Phrase
Eliminating the need for “Hey Siri” and allowing users to activate the virtual assistant just by saying “Siri” is a complex technical challenge that involves extensive AI training and a significant amount of engineering work. The reason for this complexity lies in Siri’s ability to adapt to multiple accents and dialects while accurately recognizing the singular trigger phrase.
Simpler “Siri” Trigger
Adopting a simpler “Siri” trigger would bring Apple’s virtual assistant closer to Amazon’s Alexa, which can be activated by starting a command with “Alexa.” This change would enhance user experience and streamline Siri’s usability. With Apple rumored to be developing a mixed-reality headset with voice controls, improvements to Siri are likely to form a critical part of the new device’s features. Moreover, deeper Siri integrations with third-party apps and services are also being developed, which will improve the assistant’s functionality and contextual understanding.
Technical Challenges
Dropping the “Hey” from the “Hey Siri” trigger phrase may seem like a minor adjustment, but this shift comes with a range of technical challenges that demand significant focus on AI training and engineering work.
AI Training and Engineering work
To make the switch, Apple must invest in extensive AI training and engineering efforts to ensure that Siri can accurately recognize the shorter trigger phrase. This involves developing Siri’s ability to differentiate between casual mentions of its name and intentional triggers while accounting for background noise, varying user speech patterns, and other potential misinterpretations.
Understanding multiple accents and dialects
A critical part of this AI training involves teaching Siri to comprehend the singular phrase “Siri” across a broad range of accents and dialects. By having a two-word trigger phrase, like “Hey Siri,” the system is more likely to correctly pick up the signal, even in diverse linguistic environments. Streamlining the trigger phrase to just “Siri” makes it essential for the AI to adapt to the many nuances presented by different accents and dialects while maintaining accuracy and efficiency.
Comparison to Competitors
Adopting a simpler trigger phrase for Siri would bring Apple’s virtual assistant more in line with some of its major competitors, such as Amazon’s Alexa, which functions with an easier method of activation.
Amazon’s “Alexa” Trigger
Amazon’s voice assistant, Alexa, can be activated simply by starting a command with the word “Alexa.” This straightforward approach allows users to interact with the assistant more conveniently and efficiently, a feature that has likely contributed to Alexa’s success. If Apple decides to drop the “Hey” from the “Hey Siri” trigger phrase, this change could create a more seamless user experience, helping Siri compete more effectively with the likes of Alexa and other virtual assistants.
Future Siri Improvements
Apart from the potential change to the trigger phrase, Apple is also working on additional improvements for Siri that involve deeper integrations with third-party apps and services, as well as more context-aware assistance. These enhancements are expected to be rolled out in the coming years.
Deeper Integrations with Third-Party Apps
In order to expand Siri’s functionality and compete with other virtual assistants, Apple is working on deeper Siri integrations with third-party apps and services. This will allow the virtual assistant to access more information and better assist users, increasing its overall usefulness in managing daily tasks, answering questions, and interacting with smart home devices.
Additional Context for Better Assistance
Providing Siri with a better understanding of context will improve its ability to deliver relevant and accurate assistance. With access to more contextual information, Siri would be able to provide more appropriate responses and recommendations to users, make better predictions, and understand the user’s intent more effectively.
Expected Rollout in 2023 or 2024
Though the precise timeline is still uncertain, initial reports suggested that these Siri improvements would be rolled out sometime between 2023 and 2024. However, with Gurman’s recent tweet hinting at a possible announcement at the upcoming WWDC, the implementation of these upgrades might be closer than previously anticipated.
