Apple's iOS 9 will make it a bit harder for people to fool Siri.
Built into iOS 9 is a feature that allows users to activate Siri, Apple's personal virtual assistant, by saying "Hey Siri"—no button push necessary. (On iOS 8, this is only possible when an iPhone is plugged in and charging.) Some have questioned, however, if the feature may allow others who don't own the handset to turn Siri on by calling out to her. According to Gotta Be Mobile, Apple has owners covered.
New iPhone owners will be able to train Siri to listen only for their voices, the blog said. Upon activating Hey Siri, users will be taken through a tutorial in which Siri learns what they sound like so the phone only responds to the owner's voice. They'll have to repeat common phrases, like "Hey Siri, what's the weather today?"
Whether it will actually work, however, remains to be seen. As TechCrunch notes, meanwhile, having an "always-on" phone that's listening for your command could raise other security issues. As a result, "Hey Siri" is not turned on by default (find it via Settings > General > Siri > Hey Siri and toggle to on). But those who activate it should not be concerned that their activity is being recorded. "In no case is the device recording what the user says or sending that information to Apple before the feature is triggered," Apple told TechCrunch.
Overall, Siri receives a meaningful upgrade in iOS 9, adding more relevancy to her responses and the ability to search in more places for answers. The service has also found its way to the newly announced Apple TV, which allow users to ask Siri for help finding certain types of content.
Still, with voice activation comes a series of pitfalls that require additional security. A person hoping to hack a device, for instance, may attempt to activate Siri with their voice and ask for details on a user's device. The Apple Siri tutorial is designed to limit, if not eliminate, that possibility.
Apple's iOS 9 launches on Wednesday. For more, check out 11 Intriguing Features in Apple's iOS 9.