A Look at Apple's Assistant Interface for the New iPhone

Apple has been rumored to be working on advanced speech recognition technology for some time.

After Apple's acquisition of Siri, TechCrunch reported in May that negotiations were ongoing with Nuance to integrate their speech recognition technology into iOS. Earlier this week, 9to5mac detailed much of what is expected to be the major new feature in the next generation iPhone to be release on October 4th. The story was met with some skepticism in our forums, but we were especially confident in the report as we had privately heard the exact same story from our sources.

The Siri/Nuance-based voice recognition Assistant will be the major new feature in the next generation iPhone and will be an iPhone 4S/5 exclusive feature. As detailed, the Assistant will allow users to speak to their iPhones in order to schedule appointments, send text messages, retrieve information and much more. Voice recognition happens on the fly and reportedly with great accuracy.

assistant
Assistant interface, artist rendition

We've created this artist rendition (above) of what the Assistant interface looks like based on sources with knowledge of the feature. After a long press on the home button, the screen fades and slides up, just like with the multitasking interface. Revealed is a silver icon with an animated orbiting purple flare which indicates a ready state. From what we've been told, this image is a close representation of the actual Assistant interface.

From there, the user may be taken to a conversation view that somewhat mimics Siri's original interface, but in Apple's own styling.

Based on this knowledge, we contracted Jan-Michael Cart to put together a video representation of the Assistant workflow. Cart had been responsible for a number of iOS concept videos in the past, but we wanted to mock up what the actual Assistant interface looked like. Due to the short turnaround, we know that not all elements in the video represent actual look/feel of the Assistant interface, but should show off the general workflow.


After receiving spoken commands, the Assistant shows you back the recognized text and then takes the next step. This could involve sending a text message (with confirmation) or pulling data from Wolfram Alpha. The feature is said to be one of the major differentiators for the next generation iPhone.

Apple is hosting a media event on October 4th, where they will introduce the next iPhone and these new features.

Top Rated Comments

robbieduncan Avatar
157 months ago
Have they solved the problem of feeling like a complete idiot when you use these sort of interfaces?
Score: 49 Votes (Like | Disagree)
theperipheral Avatar
157 months ago
Hopefully this will be for the iphone 4 as well.. Otherwise we will all have to continue texting while driving.

I don't see a problem with texting while driving. I do it almost every day, and I've never h
Score: 35 Votes (Like | Disagree)
arn Avatar
157 months ago
If you activate it by holding down the home button, how will you rearrange your apps?

by long pressing on the app icon as usual. :)

long press home button is already occupied by voice control.

arn
Score: 34 Votes (Like | Disagree)
DrJohnnyN Avatar
157 months ago
Pretty cool! Tuesday cannot come fast enough!!
Score: 25 Votes (Like | Disagree)
euphlyusUNO Avatar
157 months ago
This is the fundamental difference between the Android and the Apple camps.

Androidies think and talk in terms of features, hardware specs

Applelites think in terms of experience


Case In Point:

For those comparing WP7 Tell Me and Google Voice Actions with Apple Assistant:

WP7 and Tell Me are not "Assistants". They perform actions based on voice inputs. WP7 implementation does simpler things (invoking apps, calling a cell phone number). Voice Action packs in more capability (though I haven't worked with either of those, this is based purely on watching videos)

However, if iOS Assistant is anything close to what's described in the Video and something akin the App Siri, then, the Assistant won't simply be "voice commands". You can have conversations, do more things than just call or send text. The assistant will also be more accurate by the virtue of understanding the context of a conversation (you'll understand this if you've carefully observed Siri mobile apps).

Just recognizing voice accurately is not enough. There has to be a simple and logical flow, like a conversation. I'm hoping Apple will nail that (as they've done sometimes before)
Score: 22 Votes (Like | Disagree)
gugy Avatar
157 months ago
this thing looks cool
Score: 20 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

Multi Display CarPlay 1

All-New Apple CarPlay Launching Later This Year With These 5 New Features

Friday September 29, 2023 11:29 am PDT by
At WWDC 2022 last year, Apple previewed the next generation of CarPlay, promising deeper integration with vehicle functions like A/C and FM radio, support for multiple displays across the dashboard, personalization options, and more. Apple said the first vehicles with support for the next-generation CarPlay experience would be announced in late 2023, but it has still not shared any additional...
BMW Logo iPhone 15 Pro

Warning: BMW Wireless Charging May Break iPhone 15's Apple Pay Chip

Sunday October 1, 2023 6:14 am PDT by
If you have an iPhone 15 and drive a BMW, it might be best to avoid charging the device with the vehicle's wireless charging pad for now. Over the past week, some BMW owners have complained that their iPhone 15's NFC chip no longer works after charging the device with their vehicle's wireless charging pad, according to comments shared on the MacRumors Forums and X, formerly known as Twitter. ...
iPhone 15 Pro lineup

Apple to Address iPhone 15 Pro Overheating Issue With iOS 17 Update

Saturday September 30, 2023 9:28 am PDT by
Apple plans to release an iOS 17 update to address a bug that may contribute to the reported iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max overheating issue, according to a statement the company shared today with MacRumors and Forbes reporter David Phelan. Apple also says some recent updates to third-party apps have overloaded the system and contributed to the overheating issue. The report notes that...
iphone se 4 modified flag edges

iPhone SE 4 Details: Action Button, USB-C Port, Face ID, and More

Wednesday September 27, 2023 1:34 pm PDT by
Significant changes are expected to arrive with Apple's fourth-generation iPhone SE, in terms of both design and hardware, MacRumors has learned. The iPhone SE 4, known internally under the codename Ghost, is expected to receive a new design derived almost entirely from the base model iPhone 14. According to our sources, the iPhone SE 4 will use a modified version of the iPhone 14 chassis...
iPhone 16 Side Feature

iPhone 16 and 16 Pro: Preliminary Weights and Dimensions

Friday September 29, 2023 12:34 pm PDT by
MacRumors has obtained preliminary information on the weights and dimensions planned for the iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max. The information corroborates previous reports suggesting that the iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max will feature larger displays. iPhone 16 and 16 Plus Current information suggests that the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus will maintain the same...
uk bank account apple wallet 2

Apple Wallet's New Bank Account Feature Likely to Expand to U.S.

Friday September 29, 2023 8:11 pm PDT by
Starting with the iOS 17.1 beta released this week, iPhone users in the U.K. can add debit and credit cards from select banks in the country to the Wallet app and view their available balances and latest transactions for those accounts. Apple calls this feature Connected Cards, and it's currently available in the U.K. only, but there is now evidence to suggest it will expand to the U.S. in...
iPhone 15 Pro Cameras

Apple Says iPhone 15 Pro's Titanium Frame Does Not Contribute to Overheating Issue

Saturday September 30, 2023 11:10 am PDT by
Apple today said it plans to release an iOS 17 software update with a bug fix for the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max overheating issue, and the company has since shared additional details about the matter with MacRumors. Importantly, Apple said the issue is not related to the titanium frame. Contrary to a report this week, Apple said the iPhone 15 Pro's design does not contribute to...