Apple’s Siri voice assistant now provides corona virus advice
Apple has updated Siri to provide information to people concerned that they have COVID-19, the disease caused by the new corona virus, CNBC reports. Users can ask the voice assistant questions such as “How do I know if I have coronavirus” or “Do I have coronavirus?” and it offers advice based on their symptoms. Users began to notice the new functionality on Saturday.
When you first ask Siri about the virus, the voice assistant will ask if you are experiencing related symptoms including fever, dry cough, or shortness of breath. People with extreme or life-threatening illnesses are advised to call 911, while anyone who is unsure is informed of the disease symptoms and told to isolate themselves when they appear. Links to telehealth apps in the App Store are intended for anyone who cannot currently reach a healthcare provider.
Siri’s responses are provided by the United States Public Health Service and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), CNBC notes.
At the moment, the responses seem to be aimed at users in the US. We tried to ask Siri for advice in the UK and the voice assistant simply gave us a link to one information page on a UK government website. There was no questionnaire about symptoms or links to the App Store.
Siri’s new functionality reflects similar efforts from other technology companies such as Facebook, Google and Microsoft that have launched sources of information about the virus. Facebook has added a coronavirus information center at the top of its news feed in the United States that passes on information from the World Health Organization and CDC, while Google has also launched an informative site. Microsoft, meanwhile, has launched an interactive map and has also partnered with the CDC to develop one Self-checker chatbot.