Apple Adds Hands-Free Siri AI to Updated Apple TV 4K
Viewers will be able to ask their TV questions without reaching for a remote when Apple’s refreshed Apple TV 4K arrives with built-in far-field microphones
Viewers will be able to ask their TV questions without reaching for a remote when Apple’s refreshed Apple TV 4K arrives with built-in far-field microphones and its new Siri AI. The upgrade also lets Siri use information from an iPhone to find a show someone else has recommended.
Apple unveiled the updated streaming box as part of its push into smart-home products. Siri can help users discover content and answer general questions; responses appear in a corner of the screen rather than interrupting the program with spoken audio.
A remote-free way to ask
The microphones built into the device allow hands-free voice commands, removing the need to speak into the remote. That could make everyday searches simpler: a user can ask the box to play a show mentioned in a text from Jeff, and it can draw on information from the user’s iPhone to identify what they mean.
The on-screen answers also change how Siri handles questions while something is playing. Instead of talking over the program, the assistant displays its response at the edge of the picture.
Less reaching. Less interruption.
More changes to the remote
Apple has also revised the remote, though the available details do not specify all of its new features. The remote upgrades sit alongside the voice and audio changes, making the update broader than a software refresh for Siri alone.
The company’s announcement places the Apple TV 4K within a wider smart-home effort, with the streaming box serving as a point of access to the assistant as well as a way to find and watch shows. The device can respond to general queries on screen, while iPhone context can help make content requests more specific.
Apple has not provided further details in the supplied announcement about availability or pricing. The next test will be whether hands-free Siri and the revised remote make navigating the streaming box noticeably easier in everyday use.
Source: engadget.com
