The potential new iPhone feature is still under development
(Picture: )Sometimes typing out a message just doesn’t get your point across. That may explain why younger generations have taken to sharing voice notes, while gen X and boomers stick to good old fashioned texts.
It seems Apple is aware of the discrepancy as the company appears to be working on a new messaging feature that could use AI to mimic your voice. In a new patent filing, Apple details a way of transforming an iMessage into an audio note.
The feature would essentially allow a recipient to hear your text in your voice instead of Siri’s.
In order for it to work, you’ll be asked to share a voice file when you send a message, according to Patently Apple. The recipient would also have to agree to receiving the voice file as the message, which would then imitate your voice. Once the file has been shared, all your subsequent messages will also be read out in your voice.
Currently, iPhone owners can ask Siri to read their texts aloud in the digital assistant’s distinctive, robotic tenor. The feature can come in handy if you want to use your phone hands-free while driving, for instance. If the update ever materialises, it would make the end result a lot more human-sounding.
It sounds as if the feature harnesses the same artificial intelligence tech used by existing speech cloning services, such as Resemble AI. In January, Microsoft showed off dozens of AI-generated voice samples created by its Vall-E tool. The company claims the system can mimic a person’s voice and emotional tone using just three snippets of recorded audio.
Apple’s patent also enables the voice file to be shared on its own with selected contacts, allowing users to save time when a message arrives. The file would be automatically created and kept on your phone, based on your use of Siri.
But, this being a patent, there’s always a chance that it never sees the light of day. Still, it could appeal to the legions of iPhone owners now accustomed to sharing and listening to audio clips.
According to TechRound, 33 per cent of respondents aged between 18 to 24 said they regularly use voice notes to communicate with friends, with 59 per cent of the age group saying that voice notes were quicker and easier to send.
On the other hand, only five per cent of boomers use voice notes to communicate, according to WhatGadget.
By contrast, WhatsApp is reportedly developing a tool that transcribes voice messages locally on your device, meaning the app itself and your phone manufacturer won’t be able to access the content.
In March 2022, WhatsApp revealed that its users send about 7 billion voice notes on average a day. Currently, users can pause and fast-forward voice notes, and listen to drafts before sending. One thing is for sure, there is no shortage of options – and likely to be even more soon.
