Apple To Add Siri Gender Option For International Users In iOS 7.1
It looks like a gender option for Siri is set to reach certain users in iOS 7.1.
For British and Australian English, the built-in Settings application allows users to select whether they’d like to speak with a male or female Siri as of iOS 7.1 beta 3, which reached iOS developers a couple of weeks ago. Furthermore, the change is still present in iOS 7.1 beta 4 (which launched only yesterday), signalling that it could remain in the final version of iOS 7.1.
Though even more languages could have received the new option, as of this writing registered developers have confirmed that for both British and Australian English, iOS 7.1 beta 3 and beta 4 provide the option of choosing Siri’s gender.
The news reached us from iDownloadBlog, which rightly notes that the gender option isn’t available for international users in iOS 7.0.4 (pictured below running on my iPhone 5s). For U.S. English, however, the option of switching between a male and female Siri has been available for some time.
More than a handful of relatively major changes have so far been made in iOS 7.1 beta, and as our recent article explained, these include a new user interface for the built-in Phone app, a new Power Off interface, and several other tweaked icons and iOS apps.
Apple’s iOS in the Car feature is also expected to launch with iOS 7.1, though as of this writing the Cupertino, Calif. company hasn’t given much away concerning this anticipated feature.
Based on Apple’s previous release schedules, we’d originally expected iOS 7.1 to reach the general public this month. However, a recent report indicated that iOS in the Car could in fact delay the public release of iOS 7.1 until March, or even later.
We’ll keep you updated with further information as we receive it.
In the meantime, see: AppAdvice International: China Mobile, Brisbane’s Retail Store And Black Sabbath, Intelligent Magazine App NewsBrain Can Now Read Articles Aloud To You, and Following Launch Of Beats Music, Dr. Dre’s Beats To Shut Down MOG In April.
Image credit: John Gibson (Twitter)
