Listening to voicemails on an iPhone may soon be a thing of the past.
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Apple is reportedly testing a new smart voicemail feature which, among other innovations, would allow Siri to answer your calls and then transcribe the voicemails as text messages. Voicemail is a typically tedious process for those receiving the message, but is much easier for those making the call to leave – instead of typing out a message. It’s similar to how Siri works on current iOS devices by sending voice commands to Apple servers and delivering results over a cellular or wireless connection.
This is how the system will work: “When someone using iCloud Voicemail is unable to take a call, Siri will answer instead of letting the call go to a standard digital audio recorder. iCloud Voicemail can relay information about where you are and why you can’t pick up the phone to certain people”.
With iOS 9, Siri is already getting a number of upgrades, such as the ability to search within apps, give transit directions, make basic calculations and set reminders for webpages, reported by Apple Insider. The new service would debut in 2016 as part of Apple’s iOS 10 release, the blog said, assuming it’ll be reliable enough for a commercial release.
Ringing the death knell for budding Dawn/Tim, Pam/Jim office romances around the globe, Business Insider describes the plan as an evolution of Apple’s visual voicemail service, with the company referring to it as iCloud Voicemail.
It’s not the first time Apple has dabbled in revamping the way users interact with voicemail.
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Apple’s interest in offering users an alternative to regular voicemail services available from carriers might also be an indication that the iPhone maker is eying a different business.
