Siri is gaining a new talent, with deeper integration between iOS and Google Voice allowing calls and text messages to be sent via Apple's assistant. The new feature was quietly added to the latest update of Google Voice, and after a little setup is almost as easy to use as placing a call or sending a message via Siri through Apple's own dialer or iMessage.
It's been a long time coming, but as of today the iOS faithful can tap into Siri while using Spotify. This missing functionality has been a point of contention between Spotify and Apple, but now it seems the two companies can finally bury the hatchet on that front, though we imagine some conflict with still remain between the two. Previously, only Apple Music was able to boast Siri integration, though that changed when Apple opened up SiriKit in iOS 13.
Apple might be the first to have its voice-activated personal assistant but it is commonly regarded to be falling behind the likes of Amazon Alexa and especially Google Assistant. Some say that part of it is due to Apple's hard stance on privacy, limiting the data Siri can gather to improve the service. The other possible reason is Apple's closed ecosystem that is pretty stingy when it comes to integrating with third-party apps and services. It seems that Apple might be turning over a new leaf but just for a bit when it comes to third-party messaging apps but with some big caveats.
It's been a long time coming, but it looks like Spotify is finally going to gain Siri integration in iOS 13. Apple indicated as much when it opened up the SiriKit framework to third-party app makers earlier in the summer, and it seems that Spotify has wasted little time in beginning to work on Siri integration. The feature has been added in Spotify's latest beta version, which suggests that an official release isn't that far off.
Apple packed a lot of announcements into its iPhone reveal event yesterday, but one device that didn't get a shoutout is the AirPod. Despite that, it seems that Apple still has big plans for the speaker throughout the rest of the year. In all, there are three incoming features for the AirPod, and one in particular is something users have been asking for since the HomePod launched.
Apple is overhauling how it deals with Siri recordings, pledging to do away with human assessment of Siri requests after users voiced privacy concerns that their conversations with the assistant could be overheard for quality testing. The iOS and macOS assistant has been caught up in ongoing controversies around all of the major virtual assistants the past few weeks, with privacy advocates warning that human assessment and intervention is far more prevalent than many users might assume.
AI-powered smart assistants like Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and Apple Siri are plenty convenient, especially when automating tasks with a single command. With their integration into phones, it's almost too easy to simply tell them to ring up not just family and friends but also businesses. Unfortunately, smart as they are, they can't always verify that the number they're calling is legit and this has lead to what may be the next wave of scamming and phishing strategies that is starting to become more popular.
If you've put off getting a smart speaker and you're wondering which is the most effective, a new small study from Loup Ventures suggests Google Assistant is the best solution for getting the most correct answers. Though Google Assistant, Siri, and Alexa all had similar abilities to understand questions, only Google Assistant answered more than 90-percent of the questions correctly.
While Apple is positioning itself as the champion of privacy, other companies are accusing it of monopoly and unfair business practices. Its biggest accuser in that regard is, surprisingly or not, the music streaming giant Spotify. The two have been locked into a war of words that has already reached the ears of EU regulators. It seems that the two are willing to compromise on a few key points without actually backing down from their positions.
It may have been a running joke that Google and other companies are hearing your embarrassing conversations or expressions said in the presence of smart speakers and smart assistants but little did we know that reality was far stranger than fiction. It turned out, strangers are actually privy to some, but not all, of those audio clips for the usual sake of improving the service. Governments and regulators, however, are putting that process under a microscope, causing Apple and Google to halt such systems in Europe while they try to evaluate privacy implications and, if possible, work around the legal requirements.
Most consumers are familiar with the AI-powered nature of personal assistants like Alexa and Siri, but few are aware of one particular privacy concern: audio recordings made available to humans. The latest report on this topic claims Apple contractors tasked with reviewing Siri recordings have heard a variety of sensitive content, including drug deals and personal health information.
Here's something that might ease the ongoing tensions between Apple and Spotify: when it arrives, iOS 13 will apparently open up SiriKit, allowing Apple's AI assistant to work with third-party music and podcast apps. In other words, the days of Siri shooting down requests to play music through Spotify might soon be over. That's assuming, of course, that this functionality makes it into the final version iOS 13 that ships to customers later this year.