Apple Devices Could Potentially Bypass ‘Hey Siri’ Voice Commands

Enhancing Voice Assistant Functionality: A Look at Apple’s Upcoming Fix

Voice assistants have rapidly integrated into daily life, allowing users to perform various tasks effortlessly through voice commands. However, challenges can arise when these assistants, like Siri, mistakenly activate due to sounds from television advertisements. Fortunately, Apple is poised to address this concern in its forthcoming updates.

Introducing the “AdBlocker”Framework in tvOS 18.2

Recent observations in the tvOS 18.2 beta update reveal a new feature called the “AdBlocker”framework. While its name might suggest it functions as a simple ad blocker, a closer examination indicates that it will temporarily disable Siri’s response to the “Hey Siri”wake phrase when triggered by television commercials.

Technical Insights: Audio Fingerprint Matching

The “AdBlocker”framework incorporates the Shazam API, which plays a crucial role in identifying audio patterns. According to the code analysis, this system will download audio fingerprints from Apple’s servers and utilize the Shazam API to match these fingerprints with sounds captured through the device’s microphone, specifically targeting the “Hey Siri”command.

A Future Without Unwanted Siri Activations

If everything operates as planned, this feature will effectively prevent devices from responding to “Hey Siri”commands if they are detected in TV commercials or during Apple’s keynote presentations. Insights from 9to5Mac suggest that this innovative framework could first be implemented in the HomePod smart speaker, which serves as an excellent testbed for this functionality.

Learning from Past Experiences with HomePod

The HomePod is well-suited for this function given that, in 2019, many users reported accidental Siri activations triggered by an Apple advertisement in which a song was requested. The anticipated stable release of tvOS 18.2 is expected in December, marking a significant advancement for Siri’s usability.

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