According to Bloomberg, Apple plans to integrate artificial intelligence into its new operating system, iOS18, allowing users to control app functions using only their voice. This change necessitated a major software overhaul for Siri. The upgrade is expected to be unveiled at Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference on June 10.
As part of the launch, Siri will be able to perform searches and answer questions like parallel artificial intelligence apps. However, for the first time, it will also execute commands on the iPhone, including opening documents, moving or deleting emails, sending internet links via email, summarizing articles, and operating app commands rather than just opening them as is currently possible.
Apple plans to make Siri support hundreds of different commands, but initially, the new Siri will handle one command at a time. Later on, users will be able to chain commands together. For example, they could ask Siri to record a meeting summary and then send a message to a colleague in one request. The new version of the operating system is likely to be launched in September, roughly parallel to the next iPhone models.
With Siri’s upgrade, Apple aims to revitalize its voice assistant after losing ground to Amazon’s Alexa and the more advanced Google Assistant. Many of Siri’s new features will require an iPhone Pro 15 or above, a move Apple tends to promote with each new development to further expand sales of its new devices.
