That is why, today, we are going to see what it really is Sirihow we can activate it with our own voice, and what functions, tools and general utilities it has, since, although there are more and more of them, we can comment on the most important and striking ones.
What is Siri
Siri is the virtual assistant that the iPhone, Mac, Apple Watch and all Apple products have, which will help us perform multiple actions and ask questions. It is free and easy to activate, as we will see below. It was born in 2011, and since then it has been evolving as a “robot”, since its intelligence and tools are better year after year, and allow us to make more use of its use. In the beginning it was going to be available on Blackberry and Android, although finally the acquisition by Apple made it unique for this company.
How to activate Siri
To activate Siri you will first have to configure it, it can be done directly in the first steps when starting the iPhone or Pro device for the first time, or later from the settings. In the case of the iPhone it would be easy, if we have not done it at the beginning:
- Open the Settings: Go to the Settings app on your device.
- Select Siri and Search: Scroll down and tap Siri & Search.
- Activate the options:
- “Hear ‘Hey Siri‘”: This allows you to activate Siri by saying “Hey Siri.”
- “Press the side button for Siri” (or the home button on older devices): This allows you to use Siri with a physical button.
- “Allow Siri when locked”: This enables Siri while your device is locked.
- Set up ‘Hey Siri’:
- If you turn on “Listen to ‘Hey Siri,'” you’ll be asked to set your voice. Follow the on-screen instructions by saying phrases like “Hey Siri” so it recognizes your voice.
Now, we will only have to say the secret word “Hey Siri” for this assistant to run, being able to ask or perform the actions that we will see below.
What is Siri for?
Siri has multiple functions, and we are sure to forget some, however, the main ones, ordered by categories and with examples, would be the following:
Answer Questions
Siri can search for information on the internet and answer questions, such as:
- “What will the weather be like today?”
- “How many kilometers are in a mile?”
- “Who is the president of France?”
Task and Reminder Management
Siri can help you organize your day:
- Alarms and timers: “Set an alarm for 7:00 am” or “Set a timer for 15 minutes.”
- Reminders: “Remind me to buy milk this afternoon.”
- Calendar: «Set up a meeting with Ana tomorrow at 10.»
Communication
You can use Siri to communicate without touching your device:
- Calls: “Call mom.”
- Messages: “Send a message to Juan that says ‘I’m on my way.'”
- Mail: “Send an email to X person with the subject ‘Meeting’.”
Device Control
Siri is compatible with HomeKit and devices connected to it:
- Smart Home: “Turn on the lights in the living room.” or “Set the thermostat to 22 degrees.”
- Media playback: “Play relaxing music on Apple Music.” or “Tune into today’s podcast.”
Siri also helps us move:
- “Give me directions to work.”
- “Where is the closest Italian restaurant?”
- «Find charging stations for electric cars.»
Entertainment
Siri can entertain you:
- “Tell me a joke.”
- “Play my favorite playlist.”
- “What movies are in theaters?”
Siri vs other assistants: what needs to improve
If we compare Siri with other assistants like Google or Alexa, we will realize that they are very similar, although each of them is optimized for their products, so we will have to choose this one based on what we have in our house, that is, If we use a Mac, Apple TV, iPhone, etc., the normal thing would be to purchase a HomePod and not an Amazon Echo or a Google Home.
During the 2025Siri is expected to have a revolutionary change, thanks to Apple Intelligenceturning this assistant into a kind of “human robot” with which you can have a conversation and ask for things without having problems solving those commands, unlike today, where if we do not say the exact words, it is likely that don’t answer us.
Siri also has room to improve in things like customization and its ability to work with third-party apps. While Google Assistant and Alexa seem to understand better what we want, even in more complicated situations, Siri sometimes falls short, especially when the requests are not so clear. Additionally, it would be great if Siri offered helpful suggestions before we have to ask it, something its competitors have an advantage in doing. If Apple makes Siri more flexible and works well with a wider variety of devices and platforms during 2025, it could become a much more interesting option for users who hesitate between various platforms and systems.
