Apple is working to upgrade Siri so the voice assistant can handle multiple requests at once, according to an unconfirmed report from Bloomberg. The feature would let users combine several commands into a single query instead of issuing them one at a time.
It’s apparently part of a much larger project to inject some real intelligence into Siri. Artificial intelligence.
Making Siri smarter … finally
Siri proved absolutely revolutionary when it debuted on the iPhone 4s in 2011. The problem is, the voice assistant didn’t improve much over the last 15 years. And it’s been completely left in the dust by AI chatbots like ChatGPT and Perplexity AI.
Now Apple is serious about upgrading Siri with the capabilities it needs to compete. Reportedly, one of these is the option for users to issue compound commands.
“Apple Inc. is testing a feature that would let Siri process multiple requests in a single query,” Bloomberg reported Tuesday. “The feature would let users combine requests — for example, asking Siri to check the weather, create a calendar appointment and send a message — all within a single prompt. ”
The change would mark a notable shift for Siri, which has long been criticized for handling only one command at a time.
According to the report, the feature remains in testing.
Part of a broader AI effort
Handling multipart prompts would stand out as a groundbreaking Siri feature if Apple had introduced it in 2016. But 10 years later, it is only one part of Cupertino’s efforts to catch up with its rivals.
When iOS 27 launches this fall, users should expect a more conversational and capable Siri. Apple hopes to transform Siri from a command-based tool to an assistant that can understand context and execute complex tasks.
It might function as a full-fledged AI-powered chatbot, similar to ChatGPT, Grok, etc. And Apple might release a standalone Siri app that warehouses users’ interactions with the AI assistant. However, behind the scenes, Google Gemini will provide the large language models powering the improved Siri.
Ed Hardy has been writing full-time about tech for 25 years, and using it for much longer than that. His intro to Apple was a Macintosh SE/30 (which he still has), but now he uses a 13-inch iPad Pro as his primary computer.
That’s because he’s a “tablet first” type of guy. Rather than use a Macbook, he connects a keyboard case to the iPad. And instead of a desktop Mac, he connects his tablet to a 27-inch display and full-size keyboard. (So don’t try to tell him that everyone has to use a Mac to be productive.)
Before coming to Cult of Mac, Ed wrote for NotebookReview, TabletPCReview and Brighthand, as well as other sites.
