Apple has reportedly updated its Siri voice assistant in the US to help people who fear they might have the coronavirus. According to CNBC, in America the assistant will now guide people through a questionnaire if they ask Siri “Do I have coronavirus?”
The report said:
“Siri will ask users if they’re exhibiting symptoms of the disease, such as fever, dry cough or shortness of breath. Siri will advise people who say they have extreme or life-threatening symptoms to consider calling 911.
“If users say their symptoms are not extreme or life threatening, Siri instructs people to stay home and avoid contact with other people. It advises them to contact a medical provider if their condition becomes more severe.”
According to Apple, the answers Siri gives are directly from the US Public Health Service and th Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
It’s not the first instance of such updates, with Facebook last week introducing a ‘conronavirus information centre’ at the top of users’ News Feeds in some regions, with access to verified information on the pandemic.
Author: Henry Burrell, Phones Editor
Henry is Tech Advisor’s Phones Editor, ensuring he and the team covers and reviews every smartphone worth knowing about for readers and viewers all over the world. He spends a lot of time moving between different handsets and shouting at WhatsApp to support multiple devices at once.