Topic
voice assistant
Technology WIRED's Best Smart Speakers for 2026: Google Home Speaker Leads the Pack
WIRED's Nena Farrell tested nearly every smart speaker from Amazon, Google, and Apple. The 2026 Google Home Speaker (8/10, WIRED Recommends) leads with its Gemini AI assistant, but many advanced features require a subscription. Amazon and Apple remain strong ecosystem contenders.
Technology There’s Only One Google Smart Speaker Worth Buying Now
Google has streamlined its smart speaker lineup to a single speaker and two displays, introducing the new Home Speaker and the Gemini AI assistant. WIRED's Nena Farrell explains why the Home Speaker is the only one worth buying now, but notes the Nest Hub Max remains a solid smart display.
Technology Siri AI Overhaul Makes Apple's Voice Assistant a Ubiquitous Smartphone Tool
Apple releases a public beta of iOS 27 featuring Siri AI, a revamped voice assistant with a chatbot-style app and deeper integration across the operating system. Initial tests show improved performance in finding photos, sending texts, and local recommendations, though some features like memory are still missing.
Supply Chain Truckstop.com Launches Industry-First Voice-Native AI Carrier Assistant for Hands-Free Freight Management
Truckstop.com has launched Advanced Voice Assistant (AVA), the freight industry's first voice-native AI carrier assistant. AVA enables drivers to search live load boards, check rates, and initiate broker negotiations entirely hands-free via natural voice commands within the Truckstop Go app, improving safety and efficiency.
Technology Google's New Home Speaker: Six-Year Wait Yields a Gemini-Powered Smart Speaker
After a six-year hiatus, Google launched the Home Speaker, a decade after the original. It adopts a compact design reminiscent of the HomePod Mini, runs on Google Gemini for smarter voice interactions, and offers stereo pairing. Some advanced features require a subscription.
Technology Apple's Siri AI Beta Shows Conversational Voice Assistant With Deep Personalization and Privacy Focus
Apple's Siri AI beta, tested by WIRED, represents a major overhaul of the voice assistant with conversational responses, hyper-personalization from on-device data, and a privacy-preserving architecture. The beta runs on iOS 27 and is powered in part by Google's Gemini model, requiring a week-long indexing period on the user's phone.
Technology Google Launches First New Smart Speaker in Six Years, Powered by Gemini AI Assistant
Google has announced its first new smart speaker in six years, the Google Home Speaker, powered by the Gemini assistant instead of the old Google Assistant. Preorders begin June 17 at $100, with sales starting June 25. The speaker offers improved natural conversation understanding, multi-command handling, and a subscription-based Gemini Live mode.
Technology Apple explains why Siri AI took so long: first version ready last year but rebuilt from ground up
Apple's Mike Rockwell explained that a first version of Siri AI was ready in 2025 but was scrapped because it didn't deliver on the company's vision. The team then rebuilt Siri from the ground up, resulting in a profoundly more capable assistant arriving later this year.
Technology Google TV's Gemini Voice Assistant Now Controls Picture Settings on TCL TVs
Google's Gemini voice assistant on Google TV has gained the ability to adjust audio and video settings, change picture modes, and troubleshoot display issues via voice commands. The feature is initially rolling out to select 2025 and 2026 TCL TV models in the US.
Technology Apple's Siri AI Will Resist Flattery, Says Engineering Chief Craig Federighi
Apple's Craig Federighi said the upgraded Siri AI will not flatter or romance users, unlike many existing chatbots. He explained that Siri is designed to help users get things done, not to engage in sycophancy. The new Gemini-powered Siri will be more deeply integrated into iOS 27, with a dedicated app and capabilities like web search and on-screen context understanding.
Technology Apple unveils new Siri app with Gemini AI and camera capabilities at WWDC 2026
At WWDC 2026, Apple announced a new dedicated Siri app with Gemini AI integration, enabling conversational chatbot capabilities, camera-based object identification, and screen awareness. The updated Siri will first launch in the US later this year, with other regions to follow.
Technology Apple's AI-Powered Siri in iOS 27: A New Companion for Enterprise Productivity
Apple CEO Tim Cook closed his final WWDC with a major Siri upgrade in iOS 27, now powered by Gemini. The new AI companion can see the screen, control apps via voice, and integrate with calendar, email, and contacts. While not revolutionary, its seamless integration across Apple's ecosystem may boost enterprise productivity.
Technology Siri AI First Look: How Apple's Rebuilt Assistant Transforms Search Across iPhone, iPad and Mac
Apple unveiled Siri AI at WWDC 2026, a rebuilt assistant with a new swipe-down gesture, a dedicated Siri app for conversation history, and deeper integration across iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Hands-on demos show a more capable and persistent voice assistant.
Technology Apple Bets on New Siri to Get AI Right This Time, Partnering with Google
At WWDC 2026, Apple revealed a rebuilt Siri powered by Google's Gemini models, aiming to recover from delayed AI features. The company prioritizes user experience and privacy over building frontier models, a strategy analysts say is distinct from rivals Google, OpenAI, and Microsoft.
Technology Apple's Siri Falters Ahead of WWDC 2026 as AI Competitors Race Ahead
Ahead of WWDC 2026, a TechRadar author found Siri unable to provide expected AI insights, underscoring Apple's lag in voice assistant intelligence versus competitors like Google Gemini and ChatGPT. The article criticizes Apple's cautious AI strategy and calls for a bolder release approach.
Technology Apple's Siri AI Upgrade at WWDC Could Finally Unlock HomePod Mini and Apple TV Features
Apple is expected to unveil an AI-powered Siri upgrade at WWDC today, which could enable new features on the HomePod mini and Apple TV 4K. According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, these devices have been held up while Apple finalizes its AI efforts. Meanwhile, other products like a tabletop robot, smart home display, and smart glasses have been delayed to 2028, late 2026, and later 2027 respectively, due to their reliance on the new Siri software.
Technology Gemini voice control now tunes picture and audio on Google TV
Google TV has integrated Gemini to allow natural-language voice commands for picture and audio adjustments, including brightness, contrast, picture mode, and EQ. The feature is currently exclusive to select TCL models in the US, with a rollout to additional TCL lines expected soon.
Technology Exclusive Siri AI Features Limited to Three iPhones
Apple's latest Siri AI features are exclusive to the iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, and iPhone Air. These models support the AFM Core Advanced model, enabling voice customization and advanced dictation capabilities.
Technology Apple's Siri AI: A New Era in Digital Assistance
Apple's new Siri AI, showcased at WWDC 2026, promises enhanced functionality across iPhone, iPad, and Mac. With improved context awareness and integration, Siri AI aims to streamline user interactions and data retrieval.