In iOS 17, Apple added some new improvements to the on-device Siri personal assistant and Spotlight search functionality. No major changes, but Spotlight search has been improved and using Siri is easier than ever.
This guide will highlight all the features and changes to Siri– and Spotlight in “iOS 17”.
Not anymore, Siri
In “iOS 17” you can just say “Siri” to activate Siri and ditch the word “Hey”, which has been used as the wake-up sound for years. Siri activates when you say the word “Siri” so you can speak more naturally.
“Sir, can you tell me how much now?” A sentence that “Siri”, for example, knows.
consecutive requests
Siri is able to recognize and respond to multiple consecutive requests without reactivating it.
For example, you can ask Siri to tell you the time, then text your friend asking if you’ll be late for the same Siri request.
Web article
Safari has a new Siri feature that lets the personal assistant read you an article on the web. As long as the page has a reader view, you can tell Siri “Siri, read this for me” to read the page’s content.
There are playback widgets so you can fast forward, pause, resume and rewind from the lock screen.
Message to Siri
When you ask Siri to send a message, you can now tap to choose the app you want to send the message from. It lets you send messages not only through Apple’s built-in Messages app, but also through third-party apps like Telegram and WhatsApp.
The feature is compatible with any third-party apps that have “Use Siri with Ask” enabled in the Settings app.
Siri and standby
Siri can be activated in Sleep Mode, a new option to turn a charged iPhone into a home hub. When you ask Siri a question, there’s a new full-screen UI that displays the results in landscape mode.
For example, if you ask about the weather, you will see the current temperature and icons that show weather conditions.
Siri Voice in the UK
Two new “British” Siri voices are available in iOS 17 for a total of four.
Siri in India
iOS 17′ Bilingual Siri’ supports questions that mix English with Hindi, Telugu, Punjabi, Kannada or Marathi.
Featured search
Search results have been improved with new app icons and colors to make them easier to see. For example, if you search for cats and one of the results is an option to tap “Safari” to search the web, you’ll see the Safari icon instead of the previous magnifying glass icon.
Application Shortcuts
When searching for an app, Spotlight now shows app shortcuts at the top of the results pane If you search for photos and visit Favorites albums frequently, Spotlight will show you a link to access Favorites albums directly from the search interface.
Read more
For more details on the new features in the iOS 17 update, check out our iOS 17 roundup.
