You no longer need to tell Siri ‘Hey’

If you’re an iPhone user, you’re probably familiar with the phrase “Hey Siri.” It’s the command you use to get the attention of your virtual assistant so you can ask it to do something.

However, with the latest update to iOS, you no longer need to say “Hey Siri” to activate the assistant.

Siri’s New Feature

With the latest iOS update, Siri will automatically listen for your voice commands without you having to say “Hey Siri.” This new feature is called “Voice Recognition” and it’s a game-changer for anyone who uses Siri frequently.

Once you set up the feature, Siri will be able to recognize your voice and respond to your commands, even if you don’t say “Hey Siri” first.

One of the more unexpected additions from iOS 17: Apple is dropping the “hey” from “Hey Siri.” You no longer need that extra little introduction when communicating with Apple’s smart assistant via voice.

It’s a small but incredibly overdue feature for the operating system. It follows a similar feature that Amazon introed a few years back, dropping the “Hey” greeting from Alexa. Google, meanwhile, still requires a “hey” or “okay,” presumably because people say “Google” significantly more in casual conversation.

No generative AI-based Siri

Unfortunately, for those who were expecting Apple’s response to generative AI like ChatGPT, Siri continues to work in the same old way. There are no signs that iOS 17 adds any kind of AI-generated responses to Siri. ]However, rumors suggest that the company is indeed working on this, but it should take long before this technology goes public.

The new Siri experience is part of iOS 17, iPadOS 17, macOS Sonoma, and HomePod Software 17.

This software are now available to developers as beta and will be released to the public this fall. A public beta is expected to be released by July. More details can be found on the Apple Developer website.

How to Set Up Voice Recognition

To set up voice recognition on your iPhone, go to Settings > Siri & Search > Voice Recognition. From there, you’ll be prompted to say a few phrases so Siri can get a sense of your voice.

Once you’ve completed the setup process, Siri will be able to recognize your voice and respond to your commands without you having to say “Hey Siri” first.

Benefits of Voice Recognition

Voice Recognition is a convenient feature that can save you time and make using your iPhone even easier. With this feature enabled, you can simply start speaking to Siri without having to remember to say “Hey Siri” first.

This is particularly useful if you use Siri frequently throughout the day, as it eliminates the need to constantly say the wake phrase.

Conclusion

The new Voice Recognition feature for Siri is a welcome addition to iOS. It’s a small change, but it has the potential to make a big impact on how we use our iPhones. By eliminating the need to say “Hey Siri” first,

Siri becomes even more seamless and integrated into our daily lives. So if you haven’t already, give Voice Recognition a try and see how it can make using Siri even easier.