Siri gets a NEW ‘gender neutral’ voice with the release of iOS 15.4 – how to try it
SIRI just got a brand new voice.
Apple released iOS 15.4 on Monday, giving iPhone users the option to switch to a gender-neutral virtual assistant.
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When Siri is selected, it sounds less explicitly male or female than the two options could previously select.
The move is part of Apple’s effort to make its voice-activated helper, launched in 2011, more inclusive.
The company says the new voice was recorded by a member of the LGBTQ+ community, though it didn’t provide any further details.
“We’re excited to introduce a new Siri voice for English speakers that gives users more ways to choose a voice to speak to them,” Apple said.
“Millions of people around the world rely on Siri to get things done every day, so we’re working to make the experience feel as personalized as possible.”
Voice was introduced with iOS 15.4, the latest version of the iPhone operating system.
The software update also added 37 new emoji and the ability to unlock your device while wearing a face mask.
To try Siri’s new voice, you must first download the new version of iOS by going to settings > General > software update.
You can change Siri’s voice via settings > Siri and search > Siri voice.
The Siri virtual assistant lives on every iPhone and iPad and can send and read texts, set alarms and timers, and search the web for you.
Powered by artificial intelligence, the software was voiced by a white female by default until last year.
Following the release of iOS 14.5, users setting up an Apple device will now be prompted to choose their preferred Siri voice.
In addition to the new gender-neutral option, English speakers can choose between male and female voices with a variety of accents, including American, British, and Indian.
With the American variant, users can also switch between white and black female and male Siri voices.
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https://www.thesun.ie/tech/8417793/siri-new-gender-neutral-voice-ios-15-4-2/ Siri gets a NEW ‘gender neutral’ voice with the release of iOS 15.4 – how to try it