iOS 5 Assistant voice control gets mockup video

Apple's upcoming release of iOS 5 is expected to include an advanced voice recognition technology that will enable a major new feature rumored to be called Assistant. This feature will allow users to perform a variety of tasks on their iPhones, such as sending text messages, checking email, and scheduling appointments, all by voice commands. MacRumors has created a mockup video showing how the iOS 5 Assistant might work based on the latest speculations.

Since Apple acquired the Siri personal assistant voice command app, there have been plenty of reports that the company is working on integrating the Nuance speech recognition technology used in that service with iOS 5. The latest speculation seems pretty certain that the feature will be an exclusive for the next-gen iPhone and that it's performance is snappy and accurate.

The rendered mockup video of the Assistant interface is based on details from sources reportedly familiar with its development. The feature is initiated by a long press of the home button, which will bring up an overlay that fades the background. A silver microphone icon appears with a purple highlight that circles around the button to indicate that the system is ready to accept voice commands.

It'll be interesting to see how accurate this mockup is when the real iOS 5 Assistant gets unveiled alongside the iPhone 5 next Tuesday, October 4. Keep it here for the details from our live blog.