Siri gets NEW ‘gender neutral’ voice with release of iOS 15.4 – how to try it out
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.
When selected, Siri is less explicitly male- or female-sounding than the two options could previously choose from.
The move is part of Apple's push to make its voice-activated helper, which it launched in 2011, more inclusive.
The company says the new voice was recorded by a member of the LGBTQ+ community, although it didn’t offer further details.
“We’re excited to introduce a new Siri voice for English speakers, giving users more options to choose a voice that speaks to them,” Apple said.
"Millions of people around the world rely on Siri every day to help get things done, so we work to make the experience feel as personalized as possible.”
The voice was introduced with iOS 15.4, the latest version of the iPhone's operating system.
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The software update also added 37 new emoji and the ability to unlock your device while wearing a face mask.
To try out Siri's new voice, you'll first need to download the new version of iOS by heading to Settings > General > Software update.
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You can change Siri's voice via Settings > Siri and Search > Siri Voice.
The virtual Siri 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 by default voiced by a white woman until last year.
Following the release of iOS 14.5, people setting up an Apple device are now asked to choose their preferred Siri voice.
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In addition to the new, gender-neutral option, English speakers can choose between male and female voices with a number of different accents, including American, British and Indian.
For the American variant, users may also switch between white and black female and male Siri voices.
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