Feb 22, 2022 - Technology

Apple gives Siri a less gendered voice

Ina Fried

A screenshot of the Siri page on Apple.com — Screenshot via Apple.com

With the latest version of iOS, currently in testing, Apple is offering a Siri voice that is less explicitly male- or female-sounding, Axios can confirm.

Why it matters: It's part of an effort by Apple to offer a more diverse array of options for its virtual assistant. Last year it added two Siri options recorded by Black voice actors.

Details: The voice, option number 5 in the Siri UI menu, was added with the beta versions of iOS 15.4 that were released to developers and the public on Tuesday.

As of last year, Siri no longer defaults to a female voice — users must pick their preference from the available options.
Apple confirmed the new voice was recorded by a member of the LGBTQ+ community, but did not offer further details.

"We’re excited to introduce a new Siri voice for English speakers, giving users more options to choose a voice that speaks to them," Apple said in a statement to Axios. "Millions of people around the world rely on Siri every day to help get things done, so we work to make the experience feel as personalized as possible."

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Apple gives Siri a less gendered voice

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