iPhone 6s stops listening for 'Hey Siri' when it's in your pocket or face down on a table
Apple's new iPhone 6s utilizes its M9 coprocessor for "Hey Siri" input, allowing it to always listen for voice commands. Well, almost always.
In years past, Apple's motion coprocessor has been used to silently and constantly track steps and activity. But starting with this year's A9 CPU in the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus, the M9 component also listens for voice.
With earlier iOS devices, "Hey Siri" requires an iPhone or an iPad connected to external power to prevent draining battery life. But the M9 enables the iPhone 6s to always listen for "Hey Siri" commands --?except when it doesn't.
Though it's not noted in any of Apple's promotional materials, "Hey Siri" does not work on the iPhone 6s when it's laying face down, or is inside a user's pocket.
Presumably, the iPhone 6s proximity sensor, located near the earpiece above the Retina display, is also constantly utilized to change when the device is available for "Hey Siri."
Starting with iOS 9, Apple also utilizes the proximity sensor on all iPhone models to prevent the display from turning on when the handset is lying face-down or within a pocket. Displays are typically the most power-hungry component on an iPhone, and keeping the screen dark when a user cannot see it is a practical way to extend battery life.
Similarly, it's unlikely that a user will want to invoke "Hey Siri" when their iPhone is in their pocket, where the device's microphone and speaker could be obstructed.
Users who want constant access to "Hey Siri" with their iPhone 6s or iPhone 6s Plus should perhaps get into the habit of laying their handset on a table face-up.
In years past, Apple's motion coprocessor has been used to silently and constantly track steps and activity. But starting with this year's A9 CPU in the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus, the M9 component also listens for voice.
With earlier iOS devices, "Hey Siri" requires an iPhone or an iPad connected to external power to prevent draining battery life. But the M9 enables the iPhone 6s to always listen for "Hey Siri" commands --?except when it doesn't.
Though it's not noted in any of Apple's promotional materials, "Hey Siri" does not work on the iPhone 6s when it's laying face down, or is inside a user's pocket.
Presumably, the iPhone 6s proximity sensor, located near the earpiece above the Retina display, is also constantly utilized to change when the device is available for "Hey Siri."
Starting with iOS 9, Apple also utilizes the proximity sensor on all iPhone models to prevent the display from turning on when the handset is lying face-down or within a pocket. Displays are typically the most power-hungry component on an iPhone, and keeping the screen dark when a user cannot see it is a practical way to extend battery life.
Similarly, it's unlikely that a user will want to invoke "Hey Siri" when their iPhone is in their pocket, where the device's microphone and speaker could be obstructed.
Users who want constant access to "Hey Siri" with their iPhone 6s or iPhone 6s Plus should perhaps get into the habit of laying their handset on a table face-up.
Comments
Cute.
This actually bothers me because I keep my phone covered on my bedside table and I can no longer ask Siri what time it is when I wake up on a day with no alarm set. First world problems, I know, but I wish when it was plugged in that it would ignore this since it's obviously not in a pocket.
The annoying thing is that it's not even a complete absence - you still get the little double ding prompt when you use Hey Siri! but now get nothing when you start Siri by pressing and holding the home button which means you have to look at the screen to make sure she is ready to respond. If it is on for one way I see no reason why it should't be on for both
I assume if the iPhone is in your pocket you can continue to use your Apple Watch to say "Hey Siri". Right?
Can you invoke Siri through BT or wired microphone?
One thing Apple has done in iOS 9, which I really do not like is the absence of a tone or some kind of more obvious feedback indicating Siri is ready for a query. It used to be the equivalent of "How may I be of assistance" or "I'm ready".
I like the change. Makes things more subtle and natural, and one less sounds to bother people around you.
I like the change. Makes things more subtle and natural, and one less sounds to bother people around you.
Like shouting "Hey Siri" is not going to annoy people nearby, especially if its doesn't work because it is in your pocket and you don't know why it doesn't work so you shout even louder a second time.
Like shouting "Hey Siri" is not going to annoy people nearby.
Your statement is irrelevant. We're taking about Siri being activated while holding down the home button, which is silent. The notification still activates with "Hey Siri", which makes sense since you might not be looking at your phone.
Your statement is irrelevant. We're taking about Siri being activated while holding down the home button, which is silent. The notification still activates with "Hey Siri", which makes sense since you might not be looking at your phone.
Well you are still going to annoy people because you have to speak out loud to use Siri. A little beep is nothing compared to having to listen to someone trying to use Siri, which doesn't really work that well sometimes and you have try various rephrasings of your query until you finally give up in disgust. It is bad enough people have cell phone conversations on public transit, let alone some Siri interaction. You should be more mindful of others and just wait until you are out of earshot to use that service
The annoying thing is that it's not even a complete absence - you still get the little double ding prompt when you use Hey Siri! but now get nothing when you start Siri by pressing and holding the home button which means you have to look at the screen to make sure she is ready to respond. If it is on for one way I see no reason why it should't be on for both
It still makes the sound when connected to BT in the car. I kind of getting not having extra noises when I've pressed the home button and am presumably looking right at the display.
I was disappointed that the display does not go off when it's facing down.
Is there a setting somewhere ? I looked in « Display & Brightness », « Battery » or « Accessibility ».
The annoying thing is that it's not even a complete absence - you still get the little double ding prompt when you use Hey Siri! but now get nothing when you start Siri by pressing and holding the home button which means you have to look at the screen to make sure she is ready to respond. If it is on for one way I see no reason why it should't be on for both
You guys must be using an iPhone 6s right? They removed it because it's listening as soon as you hold down the home button. You don't need to wait. Just hold down the home button and start talking. Same thing for Hey Siri. Just say "Hey Siri" followed immediately by your request, and she'll catch up in a second.
Like shouting "Hey Siri" is not going to annoy people nearby, especially if its doesn't work because it is in your pocket and you don't know why it doesn't work so you shout even louder a second time.
Do you plan on shouting "Hey Siri" while you're at work? Seems a lot more logical to hold down a silent home button.
Kind of like the naysaying and trolling in these forums. It keeps annoying you until you have to finally give up in disgust.
Wasn't there some guy in the news recently that did something like this?
Your statement is irrelevant. We're taking about Siri being activated while holding down the home button, which is silent. The notification still activates with "Hey Siri", which makes sense since you might not be looking at your phone.
Well you are still going to annoy people because you have to speak out loud to use Siri. A little beep is nothing compared to having to listen to someone trying to use Siri, which doesn't really work that well sometimes and you have try various rephrasings of your query until you finally give up in disgust. It is bad enough people have cell phone conversations on public transit, let alone some Siri interaction. You should be more mindful of others and just wait until you are out of earshot to use that service
I have noticed that even in polite company, not strangers in public, that using voice control is far more disrupting and far more rude than silently typing. That little beep can silence a room alone.
I can't count how many times family and friends have used voice to do or search or something and it KILLS everyone else talking. The entire room silences themselves out of awkwardness to the person using their voice function.
I think part of that is the novelty, but most of the novelty has worn off by now. Now its because everyone knows that when they hear that beep and someone using voice they know that a noisy room is not good, so everyone awkwardly shuts their mouths.
Its rude, self centered and disrupting in my opinion. I would rather just have people type on their phones and ignore only me than interrupt the entire room full of people.
It gets even worse when the voice control doesn't work the first or second time.
So I sometimes speak nonsense at a louder tone just to mess with it while everyone else tries to remember what they were talking about before the rude person tried to use their voice control. Usually gets a laugh.
Voice control has unfortunately turned into an "everyone look at me using voice control!" sort of thing.
Just type it out. Unless you are alone.
"You can turn off "Hey Siri" in Settings > General > Siri. In iOS 9 or later, you can also temporarily disable "Hey Siri" by setting your device face down."