While many would argue that Siri has no place on my iMac or MacBook, I’m not one of them. A new report suggests that I and millions of others might be getting a virtual assistant for the machine I spend the most time on each day.
Siri for Mac suggests new report
Mark Gurman of 9to5Mac is reporting today that Apple will make Siri available on Apple desktops and laptops beginning next fall. That is, if Apple sticks to its tried and true release schedule. Gurman is reporting that the Apple assistant will be the highlight of OS X 10.12 when it’s unveiled at Apple’s Worldwide Developer Conference in June. From there, the company would likely release a public beta of OS X 10.12 this summer with the full-release likely arriving in October.
Apple’s voice-enabled virtual assistant already has a home on the iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, and Apple Watch, but according to Gurman the company is finally ready to release Siri to non-mobile (less-mobile for laptops?) platforms. According to the report, Apple has been testing Siri for Mac since 2012, but only now feels comfortable releasing to the Mac.
Apparently, Siri will be hanging out in the Mac menu bar alongside Spotlight Search as well as in the Notification Center. When the button is clicked, Siri will “show up” in the upper right corner of the screen. It’s likely that she will also be able to be launched via a keyboard shortcut that could be set in the Systems Preferences menu. Whether there will be an “always on” function for Siri that would allow users to simply activate her with, “Hey Siri,” remains to be seen and wasn’t mentioned in the report.
It’s about time, I need organization in my life
As the virtual assistant has repeatedly shown over her life, she is not a one trick pony but rather an evolving personal assistant with her ability to suggests apps and a wealth of other suggestions. Running on my Mac, she might come to know me better than I know myself as she learns my habits. If she can simply bring a file up with my voice and help reduce the “when not if” carpal tunnel syndrome my life is sure to bring that’s enough for me.
Welcome home sister, we’re going to get along just fine.
