Siri Herself Spreads Rumors of New Voice and Apple Speaker
Editors Note: While these Siri responses were available on May 22, 2o18 for anyone to hear, Apple later told USA Today that they were done in advance of WWDC 2017 and did not reference intentions for the 2018 event. Apple later removed these notifications with information about WWDC 2018 that did not include any references to Siri updates. A review of Siri-related announcements from WWDC 2018 can be found here.
In anticipation of Apple’s 2018 Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) coming up on June 4th, rumors are popping up that Siri is getting a new voice—and the buzz was started by Siri herself. Just ask her about WWDC, and she drops hints of software improvement:
These improvements might also include a new voice for Siri:
Siri is not only awaiting her “brand new voice,” but also hints at a new home that is “meshy and matte.” A new smart speaker home for Siri may be coming to production if the rumors are true (according to her).
Will WWDC 2018 Be a Turning Point for Siri?
At last year’s WWDC, Apple announced the addition of two different voice expressions and a male counterpart to Siri’s original female intonation. Since this update occurred in step with iOS 11, it should be expected to see another Siri update with iOS 12. The question is whether Siri will finally be the star of WWDC 2018 where as last year she was kept on the back burner. Siri’s self-promotion seems to indicate we will be hearing more about her and more from her this year. It also appears that she might be getting a new smart speaker to call home. The introduction of an Apple smart speaker with lower pricing could help the company overcome the disappointing sales of the HomePod in 2018.
On June 4th we will learn if these rumors are true and we will see what Apple has in store for Siri’s new voice and new home. If they are true, a smarter Siri and cheaper HomePod option could help Apple stay in the race against its more capable counterparts, Amazon and Google, in the competitive smart speaker market.
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