Compete With Alexa, Apple Makes A Big Keyword Change For Siri, Just Call Siri

JAKARTA - According to a leak from a trusted source at Apple, Mark Gurman, Siri will soon undergo major changes with the use of simpler keywords. Later, users only need to say "Siri" without the need to say "Hey Siri" to call the personal assistant.

This change will rival Alexa, a virtual assistant to Apple's competitor Amazon. Alexa only needs users to say "Alexa" without the word "hey" first. These changes can be implemented on several Apple operating systems, including iOS for iPhones, as well as iPadOS, watchOS, macOS, and others.

Gurman has also revealed that Apple plans to launch a mixed reality headset in less than two months. Gurman - who has 86.5 percent accuracy level on Apple Tracker - revealed the news in its weekly Power On bulletin.

Changes to Siri can be implemented this year or in 2024. "The company is working on an initiative to remove the word "Hey" in the trigger phrase so users only need to say "Siri" together with orders," Gurman explained, as quoted by DailyMail.

Although it looks like a "small change", for Apple employees, it is a "technical challenge" that requires "numbers of AI training and fundamental engineering work". "The complexity involves Siri's ability to understand the single phrase "Siri" in a variety of accents and dialects," he added.

Apple will also integrate Siri deeper into third-party apps and services and "improve Siri's ability to understand users and take appropriate action," Gurman added.

According to MacRumors, updates to Siri can be included in iOS 17, Apple's next major software update.

Apple is also expected to release their newest product, the mixed reality headset, at the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC). This product has been waiting for many fans after years of rumors and speculation. This headset is predicted to sell for $3.000 and will allow users to see digital objects overlapping with the real world.

augmented reality (AR) technology adds computer-made images to the real world, just like the Pokémon Go game. While virtual reality (VR) technology is completely digital, mixed reality (MR) combines both.

According to Mark Gurman, this product was shown to 100 of Apple's top employees in March at Steve Jobs Theater, Cupertino, California and will be launched publicly on WWDC. The leaker explains that the mixed reality headset is the next big platform after the iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple Watch."

As with the iPhone and Apple Watch, this headset will be followed by new iterations in the next few years. Although Gurman predicts that the first version will be a "failty" in sales compared to Apple's existing hardware, the future version will succeed when this product finds its place on the market.