This is the new Siri powered by Apple Intelligence in the iOS 18.1 beta release

The beginning of 'a new era for Siri' has arrived with the release of iOS 18.1 beta 1. This beta version offers the first opportunity to experience Siri enhanced by Apple Intelligence.

Here's a look at the new capabilities of Siri and what it's like to use it.

Fresh Look: The redesigned Siri in iOS 18.1

Siri in iOS 18.1 boasts a stunning new visual design.

The familiar floating orb at the bottom of the screen is replaced with a radiant light encircling the entire display. When you activate Siri using the iPhone’s side button, you’ll feel a strong haptic feedback, and the Siri light will emanate from the area of the screen near that button. It’s a delightful and immersive effect.

This glowing design is featured on both iPhone and iPad, while on the Mac, Siri adopts a more streamlined appearance in the top-right corner.

Enhanced interaction: Beyond the aesthetic overhaul, the new Siri design improves user interaction with its dynamic visual cues and tactile feedback, making every Siri interaction feel more engaging and intuitive. The redesign signifies Apple's commitment to creating a more immersive and user-friendly experience across its devices.

Enhanced context awareness: The New Siri in iOS 18.1

With the new Siri, you'll notice significant improvements in maintaining context between requests.

For instance, I asked Siri for the Cubs' game time. After receiving the answer, I followed up with, "Who's their pitcher?" Without needing additional context, Siri understood I was still referring to the Cubs. Similarly, I set a five-minute timer and then said, "Actually, change it to three minutes." Siri made the adjustment immediately.

Seamless conversations: The ability of Siri to remember and understand context between different queries greatly enhances the user experience, making interactions feel more natural and fluid. This improvement means you can have more dynamic and less fragmented conversations with Siri.

Future Improvements: Although some context misinterpretations still occurred, this is to be expected in the early beta stage. As Apple continues to refine its technology, we can anticipate even more accurate and responsive interactions in future updates. The enhanced context awareness represents a significant leap towards making Siri a more intuitive and effective virtual assistant.

More forgiving when you misspeak: The New Siri in iOS 18.1

We all make mistakes and occasionally change our minds during a request. Previous versions of Siri struggled with these moments, often becoming confused when users misspoke or altered their requests mid-sentence.

With Apple Intelligence, the new Siri has become much better at handling these verbal missteps. For example, I said, “Siri, set a timer for five… ah, hmmm, actually, make that two minutes.” Siri effortlessly adjusted the timer without missing a beat.

Improved understanding: This enhanced capability allows Siri to better comprehend and process requests even when users stumble over their words or change their minds, making interactions more forgiving and less frustrating.

User-friendly experience: The ability to accommodate minor errors and adjustments reflects Siri's improved adaptability and understanding, contributing to a more seamless and user-friendly experience. This feature highlights Apple's commitment to creating a more intuitive and accommodating virtual assistant.

Type requests from any app: Siri's New Feature in iOS 18.1

While most Siri interactions traditionally rely on voice commands, iOS 18.1 introduces a feature that encourages more typed requests as well.

On the iPhone and iPad, you can now access Siri in typing mode with a double-tap on the Home bar—the horizontal line at the bottom of the screen. This means that regardless of which app you’re using, you can quickly invoke Siri and type out your request without needing to switch contexts.

For Mac users, Siri offers the flexibility to switch between voice and typed requests manually, providing a versatile approach to interacting with the virtual assistant.

Increased accessibility: This new feature enhances convenience by allowing users to engage with Siri in various situations where speaking might not be ideal or possible.

Seamless integration: The ability to type requests from within any app streamlines interactions and makes Siri more accessible across different use cases, reflecting Apple’s ongoing efforts to improve user experience and functionality.

Your Go-To source for Apple product knowledge: Siri in iOS 18.1

While many of Siri’s new capabilities regarding apps and in-app actions will be rolled out in future updates, iOS 18.1 beta 1 already highlights a significant enhancement in one area.

Siri has become a robust expert on Apple products and software features. Thanks to extensive training on Apple support documentation, Siri is now adept at providing detailed guidance on a wide range of Apple-related topics.

Curious about Home Screen customization or how to pair your Apple Watch? Just ask Siri. With thousands of questions supported, Siri can assist with a multitude of how-tos and troubleshooting tips. And if Siri doesn't have a direct answer, it will still provide relevant web results.

Enhanced support: This new feature makes Siri a valuable resource for navigating Apple’s ecosystem, ensuring you can get expert advice and instructions with ease.

Comprehensive assistance: By integrating extensive Apple knowledge, Siri offers a more insightful and helpful experience, reflecting Apple’s commitment to improving user support and accessibility.

What's missing in iOS 18.1 Beta 1

While iOS 18.1 beta 1 introduces several exciting updates to Siri, there are still notable features and improvements on the horizon. In future iterations of Siri, expected later this year and extending into 2025, we can anticipate:

• ChatGPT integration: Siri will incorporate advanced language processing capabilities from ChatGPT, enhancing its conversational abilities and providing more nuanced responses.
• Personal context understanding: Siri will gain a deeper understanding of personal context, allowing for more tailored and relevant assistance based on individual user preferences and history.
• Expanded in-app actions: There will be numerous new in-app actions available across both Apple and third-party apps, broadening Siri's functionality and integration.
• Screen content awareness: Siri will develop the capability to be aware of and interact with the content currently displayed on your screen, further enhancing its responsiveness and utility.
• Looking ahead: These forthcoming features promise to significantly elevate Siri’s performance, making it an even more powerful and intuitive assistant. Stay tuned for these updates as they roll out over the coming months and years.