Apple’s latest iOS 27 developer beta, released on March 12, 2026, includes a new feature that allows developers to adjust the pace and expressivity of the Siri voice assistant. The update, announced by Apple in a brief technical blog post, states that the new API gives developers control over “speech rate” and “emotional tone” parameters, enabling a more tailored user experience.
The change comes as the industry’s major players—Amazon, Google, and Microsoft—continue to compete for dominance in the AI assistant market. Analysts note that Apple’s move could help the company differentiate its assistant in a crowded space, though the company has not yet released a consumer‑facing version of the feature.
Apple’s post explains that the new parameters can be set programmatically during the voice synthesis phase. Developers can now specify a rate ranging from 0.5× to 2.0× the standard speed and select from a limited set of emotional tones such as “neutral,” “friendly,” or “formal.” The API also includes a “custom” option that allows for more granular control via a set of numerical values.
The beta release includes updated documentation and sample code in Xcode, but Apple has not announced a public release date for the feature. The company’s statement emphasises that the changes are intended for use within third‑party apps and will not affect the default Siri experience on iPhones.
Apple’s announcement follows reports that Google has introduced a similar voice‑customisation API for its Assistant in Android 14, and that Microsoft is planning to expand its voice‑synthesis capabilities in the upcoming Windows 11 update. The AI assistant market is expected to see significant growth in 2026, with analysts projecting a 15 % increase in active users across platforms.
Apple has not yet provided any metrics on how the new feature will impact user engagement or developer adoption. No third‑party developers have released apps that utilise the new API as of this writing.
Story synopsis gathered from: https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiwgFBVV95cUxNY0dqSHo1NHVaQ3RWbEdqcG1pZUFKTk5Ec1ZJMEt2MDlzUFV2SHk2UE9Zc0RxVUFGVU1XX0VjX0xEZGE1bUhVcVQwSzJkWFkxcl80OUZ2Mzd1TUxGVHE3QXhoQUxjSkRTeFVkVHhxWC0wemZrbmZUQzREV1pWVzRLMVdVcFE4RTM1cTZFRWlMTlU3Z2txY3R4aWdoVFFsUjhmWjlmMXZwaGJvYlJWVUYzV0pzVzFPZEdBM25HTldubVpmQQ?oc=5 — source.
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Story synopsis gathered from: Google News India – Technology — source.
