A “Hey Siri” configuration tool found in Apple’s latest iOS 12.2 beta suggests Apple is on the verge of releasing their much-rumored second-generation AirPods model capable of native interactions with the virtual assistant. The first beta of iOS 12.2 was released earlier today.
Earlier today, Apple released the first beta of iOS 12.2 for developers. This first release includes quite a few changes and new features, which you can learn more about in our post. One of those changes, which is currently hidden from public view, is the addition of a new setup screen that’s used when configuring AirPods. This new setup screen clearly states that the user will be able to talk to Siri with AirPods or iPhone by saying “Hey, Siri”.
When pairing the new, yet to be released AirPods, the user will be asked to set up “Hey, Siri”, just like it can be set up for other devices such as iPhones and iPads. This training configures AirPods to respond to only the user’s voice and not the voice of other people. The main difference from using “Hey, Siri” with these new AirPods will be that the AirPods themselves will do the recognition, sending the command to the paired device. This means you’ll be able to use Siri while your iPhone is in your pocket without having to tap on your AirPods.
Rumors of a second-generation AirPods release began in early 2018, when Bloomberg published a claim that Apple was working on the new wireless earpods. “Hey Siri” functionality was said to be a major feature of the new earphones. While a 2018 launch for the new accessory was expected, here we are in 2019 but haven’t seen anything yet.
(Screenshot via MacRumors)