Hello, Computer: Inside Apple’s Voice Control

This year’s Worldwide Developers Conference was big. From dark mode in iOS 13 to the newly-rechristened iPadOS to the unveiling of the born-again Mac Pro and more, Apple’s annual week-long bonanza of all things software was arguably one of the most anticipated and exciting events in recent Apple history.

Accessibility certainly contributed to the bigness as well. Every year Apple moves mountains to ensure accessibility’s presence is felt not only in the software it previews, but also in the sessions, labs, and other social gatherings in and around the San Jose Convention Center.

“One of the things that’s been really cool this year is the [accessibility] team has been firing on [all] cylinders across the board,” Sarah Herrlinger, Apple’s Director of Global Accessibility Policy & Initiatives, said to me following the keynote. “There’s something in each operating system and things for a lot of different types of use cases.”

One announcement that unquestionably garnered some of the biggest buzz during the conference was Voice Control. Available on macOS Catalina and iOS 13, Voice Control is a method of interacting with one’s Mac or iOS device using only your voice. A collaborative effort between Apple’s Accessibility Engineering and Siri groups, Voice Control aims to revolutionize the way users with certain physical motor conditions access their devices. At a high level, it’s very much a realization of the kind of ambient, voice-first computing dreamed up by sci-fi television stalwarts like The Jetsons and Star Trek decades ago. You talk, it responds.

And Apple could not be more excited about it.

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AppStories, Episode 127 – Returning to Apple Mail→

On this week’s episode of AppStories, we discuss why we’ve both returned to Apple Mail after years of looking for a better email solution.

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MacUpdater: Keep All Your Apps Up-to-Date Effortlessly [Sponsor]

Updating apps is a hassle. It would be great if all of your apps came from the Mac App Store and were automatically updated, but they probably don’t and, therefore, aren’t. That’s where MacUpdater comes in. Open MacUpdater, and in a matter of seconds, it will report back with all the apps you need to update on your Mac and walk you through the process.

With just one click, you can update most apps, and if an app requires its own updater app like Adobe Creative Suite, MacUpdater can start it up with a single click too. MacUpdater also has a built in notification system, so that as soon as an app requires updating it can let you know. It’s a fantastic, seamless way to be sure you’re enjoying the latest features of your favorite apps and staying on top of the latest security patches.

MacUpdater’s pricing is as straightforward as the app itself at just $9.99, after a free trial that allows you to update ten apps, and for a limited time, MacStories readers can purchase MacUpdater for 10% off using the coupon code MACUPDATER-MACSTORIES. To learn more, check out MacRumors’ video on MacUpdater on YouTube and download the free trial today to give it a try yourself. Use MacUpdater and stop wondering whether or not your apps are up to date.

Our thanks to MacUpdater for sponsoring MacStories this week.

Apple Announces Fall Media Event

As first reported by Rene Ritchie, Apple has announced a media event for September 10, 2019 at 10:00 am Pacific. The event will be held at Steve Jobs Theater in Cupertino.

https://twitter.com/reneritchie/status/1167105373775548417

Based on widespread speculation, Apple is expected to introduce three new iPhones based on the iPhone XS design with a new rear-facing, three-camera array that includes a new wide-angle lens and will be able to take better low light photos. Rumors also point to the introduction of new Apple Watch models, and possibly a 10.2-inch iPad to replace the current 9.7-inch model. Apple is said to be working on a 16” MacBook Pro, new water-resistant, noise-cancelling AirPods, and a new HomePod, but it’s likely if those products materialize at least some won’t be shipped until later this year or 2020.

In addition to hardware, Apple is expected to announce release dates for updates to its operating systems, including iOS 13, iPadOS, macOS Catalina, and watchOS 6. As in the past, Apple should release a Gold Master of the OSes shortly after the event with a public release date within approximately 10 days.

Connected, Episode 258: Technically iOS 13→

On this week’s episode of Connected:

Federico’s back just in time for Apple to release the first beta of iOS 13.1 He, Stephen and Myke get into what this could mean for Apple’s upcoming busy season before discussing the changes Apple has made to its Siri grading program.

You can listen below (and find the show notes here).

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Connected, Episode 258

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Health in iOS 13: A Foundation for Apple’s Grand Wellness Ambitions

Apple’s Health app first debuted in 2014 as part of iOS 8. In the five years since its launch, Health has been one of the only iOS apps to receive redesigns every couple of years. The basic purpose of the app has remained the same through those changes, still serving as an aggregation tool for wellness data from sources like the Apple Watch to third-party apps and devices. However, Health’s regular reimagining serves as strong evidence that Apple has never quite felt content with how that original goal was being fulfilled.

It may be too early to cast judgment, but I have a strong suspicion that this year’s rebrand will stick. iOS 13’s Health app finally brings a design that feels intuitive and user-friendly, doing away with complication and creating a streamlined, inviting interface. Simultaneously, this year’s update adds compelling new features related to cycle tracking and hearing health that may hint at an evolving vision for the Health app’s future.

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Apple Announces New Initiative to Support Device Repair Providers→

Following news earlier this summer that Apple was partnering with Best Buy for expanded repair service, today the company has announced another initiative to make device repairs more accessible:

“To better meet our customers’ needs, we’re making it easier for independent providers across the US to tap into the same resources as our Apple Authorized Service Provider network,” said Jeff Williams, Apple’s chief operating officer. “When a repair is needed, a customer should have confidence the repair is done right. We believe the safest and most reliable repair is one handled by a trained technician using genuine parts that have been properly engineered and rigorously tested.”

Independent repair providers can join Apple’s new program at no cost, provided they have an Apple-certified technician on staff. Joining provides a variety of benefits:

Apple will provide more independent repair businesses — large or small — with the same genuine parts, tools, training, repair manuals and diagnostics as its Apple Authorized Service Providers (AASPs). The program is launching in the US with plans to expand to other countries.

Apple’s moves this summer to make authorized repairs more accessible from outside an Apple Store reflect the company’s struggles to keep up with accelerated repair demand from a growing user base. While repairs will likely always be a core element of Apple Stores, by pushing more people to third-party providers, Apple can perhaps make its retail locations less crowded and thus more pleasant to visit moving forward.

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Apple Announces Changes to Siri Grading Program

Earlier this month, Apple suspended its Siri grading program, in which third-party contractors listened to small snippets of audio to evaluate Siri’s effectiveness. Today in a press release, Apple explained its Siri grading program and changes the company is making:

We know that customers have been concerned by recent reports of people listening to audio Siri recordings as part of our Siri quality evaluation process — which we call grading. We heard their concerns, immediately suspended human grading of Siri requests and began a thorough review of our practices and policies. We’ve decided to make some changes to Siri as a result.

Apologizing for not living up to the privacy standards customers expect from it, Apple outlined three changes that will be implemented this fall when operating system updates are released:

First, by default, we will no longer retain audio recordings of Siri interactions. We will continue to use computer-generated transcripts to help Siri improve.

Second, users will be able to opt in to help Siri improve by learning from the audio samples of their requests. We hope that many people will choose to help Siri get better, knowing that Apple respects their data and has strong privacy controls in place. Those who choose to participate will be able to opt out at any time.

Third, when customers opt in, only Apple employees will be allowed to listen to audio samples of the Siri interactions. Our team will work to delete any recording which is determined to be an inadvertent trigger of Siri.

This is a sensible plan. It’s clear, concise, and has the benefit if being verifiable once implemented. It’s unfortunate that Siri recordings were being handled this way in the first place, but I appreciate the plain-English response and unambiguous plan for the future.

Game Day: Dead Cells

Dead Cells by Motion Twin landed on mobile for the first time today with its release on iOS. The game, which the Bordeaux, France-based game studio describes as a ‘rogue-lite, metroidvania action-platformer,’ has been adapted for mobile by publisher Playdigious. I’ve been playing Dead Cells on a variety of iOS devices for the past two weeks both with onscreen controls and controllers, and it’s quickly become my favorite iOS game of 2019 so far.

Dead Cells, which debuted in 2017 and is also available for consoles and PC, is not an easy game. You play as a warrior raised from the dead, battling your way through dungeon mazes. Along the way, you collect weapons, cells, which can be used to upgrade your weapons, and other items. When you die, you lose any unused cells and some of the items you’ve collected. However, other upgrades are permanent and remain intact between sessions. Combined with levels that are partially procedurally generated and provide variety between attempts to defeat enemies, the mechanic creates a fun tension that makes Dead Cells extremely hard to put down.

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