Apple announced earlier this week that iOS 9 will launch on Sept. 16, but a new feature already has people looking forward to iOS 9.1.
People testing the public beta of iOS 9.1 have found that Siri is getting major voice-recognition improvements. The virtual assistant will soon be able to differentiate between people’s voices and recognize when she is speaking to the owner of the device.
The “Hey Siri” feature, which Apple has yet to publicly discuss, launches a setup process that helps Siri “recognize your voice” when you prompt it with the “Hey Siri” command. The process asks people to say certain words and phrases so that Siri can build a profile for their voice.
The iPhone 6s and 6s Plus use an M9 motion coprocessor that lets them constantly listen for voice directions. With “Hey Siri,” you’ll be able to ask Siri for help at any time, and she’ll only respond to the person she’s most familiar with.
Google Now, Siri’s Android counterpart, has had a “trusted voice” option since April.
H/T MacRumors | Photo via plantronicsgermany/Flickr (CC BY ND 2.0)