In early January, Apple began to test Siri’s new “give me the news” feature in select locations. Siri, the well-known AI assistant, is off to a strong start this year.
This new feature will allow Siri to update users on current events. Specifically, this is meant to play daily podcasts provided from respected networks. This feature was first limited to users running on iOS 11.2.5 beta in the U.S. but has expanded compatibility to no-beta users in both Australia and the United Kingdom.
While the specific podcasts that play will be region specific, you can adjust your preferred sources right in the settings.
This seems to be Apple’s response to similar features available on Amazon Alexa devices. With the launch of the HomePod coming up, it is no surprise that a news feature was just around the corner. Although this feature seems like it was designed for the HomePod, Apple users can take advantage of “give me the news” commands on many devices.
This is a fascinating feature that will make it easier than ever to stay up to date with everything going on in the world. As they work out some of the finer details, we can expect compatibility to pan out over other regions as well.