Siri, for those unfamiliar, is Apple’s voice assistant for iOS. It is available on both the iPhone and iPad, but at the same time would it be a stretch of the imagination to think that it could eventually make its way onto computers as well? We suppose we understand the use of Siri for mobile devices – it makes it easier for us to do things while on the go or when our hands are full.
However Siri on the computer makes sense too as it could help make this a lot easier and convenient. That being said, a new patent filed by Apple and discovered by AppleInsider have revealed Apple’s plans for bringing Siri onto the desktop. The patent does not reference Siri explicitly, but it does mention a digital assistant in a desktop environment.
The patent also describes methods of activating the digital assistant. One way would be to manually launch the feature like you would an app, and another way could be done using gestures. “In some embodiments, a digital assistant is invoked on a user device by a gesture following a predetermined motion pattern on a touch-sensitive surface of the user device.”
With the MacBook’s trackpad allowing gestures and with Apple selling the Magic Trackpad accessory, it could work out. Of course it remains to be seen if Apple will ever bring Siri onto the desktop, but with Google allowing voice commands in Chrome and with Microsoft reportedly bringing Cortana onto Windows, we doubt Apple wants to be left in the dust.