siri Archives - SlashGear

Apple HomePod is no longer available, but owners need not worry

JC Torres | Jun 14, 2021

Devices come and go, no matter how popular or how loved. Sometimes older devices are replaced by newer models, but there are also times when they are completely retired instead. The latter is the case for the first Apple smart speaker, the much-delayed HomePod that the company announced would be discontinued. Supplies of the full-sized speaker have finally gone out of stock but, while it can no longer be purchased from direct channels, nothing really changes for those who already own one, at least not yet.

Ecobee SmartThermostat is the first of its kind to get built-in Siri support

Brittany A. Roston | Jun 7, 2021

Soon after Apple's WWDC 2021 keynote today, ecobee revealed that its SmartThermostat with Voice Control will be the first smart thermostat device to get built-in Siri support. With this, customers who are heavily invested in the Apple ecosystem can use their HomePod mini and HomePod smart speakers to talk with the smart thermostat using the typical 'Hey Siri' command.

watchOS 8 adds multiple timer support but Apple Watch still needs iPhone for offline Siri

Chris Davies | Jun 7, 2021

Apple's offline Siri support won't be offered as a standalone ability on the Apple Watch, it appears, though watchOS 8 is shaping up to include much-requested features like multiple timers. Siri's ability to work even when you don't have a network connection was one of the highlights of iOS 15 and iPadOS 15, the new software coming to iPhone and iPad, at WWDC 2021 today.

Siri is going to get much more useful in iOS 15

Eric Abent | Jun 7, 2021

iOS 15 is bringing a number of privacy updates along with it, but among the most useful is heading to Siri. Apple confirmed today that Siri will be getting on-device speech recognition in iOS 15. Not only is this a big move for privacy as it regards Siri, but it also looks like it's going to be a big step forward on the usability front as well.

Now you can control Deezer on your Apple HomePod with Siri

Chris Davies | May 6, 2021

HomePod users can now ask for music from streaming service Deezer, with the Apple smart speakers expanding Siri support. The new voice functionality works with both the original, discontinued HomePod and the newer, smaller, HomePod mini.

Yes, the redesigned Apple Siri Remote (2nd gen) will be sold separately

Chris Davies | Apr 20, 2021

Apple has a new Apple TV 4K with upgraded hardware, but if all you want is the redesigned Siri Remote then you're in luck. Addressing one of the biggest complaints about Apple's set-top box, the new remote promises to be far more user-friendly then the old version, and the good news is that Apple will sell it separately too.

Siri won’t sound female by default: iOS 14.5 beta intros Apple’s new voices

Chris Davies | Mar 31, 2021

Apple is adding two new Siri voices, as well as changing which "gender" of voice is set as the default, in the latest iOS 14.5 beta released today. The update means that, for Apple device users in the US at least, their new iPhone, iPad, or Mac will no longer automatically set itself to the feminine Siri voice for English speakers.

Siri won’t set your music default in iOS 14.5 – it’s more complicated than that

Chris Davies | Mar 4, 2021

Apple is not allowing iPhone users to set their music service of choice, despite suggestions of that from the iOS 14.5 beta, dashing hopes that Spotify, TIDAL, and others might be given equal footing with Apple Music. It wasn't long after the iOS 14.5 and iPadOS 14.5 betas were released in February before people started noticing that Siri was expressing more interest in their music service preferences.

Siri default music app update released with iOS 14.5

Chris Burns | Feb 8, 2021

This week Apple added a long-awaited feature to Siri, allowing a default music app choice for all users. This update will allow users to set a default music app when first requesting a play of a new track of music. This update arrives courtesy of the latest iOS 14.5 and iPadOS 14.5 delivered to users this week.

TCL MOVEAUDIO S200 is another AirPods clone for cheap

Chris Burns | Sep 3, 2020

This morning TCL revealed a pair of "true wireless headphones" called MOVEAUDIO S200. These headphones will cost under 100 (Euro) and look shockingly similar to Apple's AirPods. This is a bit a bummer for those looking to TCL to differentiate from industrial design already in-play, given their leadership with products like ACTV wireless headphones and the incredibly wild colors of the wireless headphones called SOCL.

iPadOS 14 Siri will finally let you use apps running behind it

JC Torres | Aug 26, 2020

iPadOS 14 brings a lot of big changes to Apple's biggest mobile device but it also has one change that ironically takes a small form. In the next version of iPadOS, actually also in iOS 14, Siri will no longer take up all of your screen when you use it. Unfortunately, previous beta builds made that advantage pointless since you can't use the rest of the screen anyway but it seems that Apple has finally fixed that in iPadOS 14 Beta 5.

Apple sued in China for $1.4 billion of Siri patent infringement

Ewdison Then | Aug 3, 2020

Apple has long been trying to woo the Chinese market, its second-largest after the US, even going as far as making compromises it would not even consider doing for any other region. Given the tensions between the US and Chinese governments, however, the Cupertino-based company might feel like it's walking on eggshells. It doesn't help that it is constantly bombarded with lawsuits, the most recent of which could see it not only pay billions of dollars to the plaintiff but also temporarily halt the sales of almost all its devices in China.