iOS 11.2.5 will bring with it a feature for Siri that anyone who has used an Amazon Echo will be familiar with: the news briefing. While it works differently from Amazon's offering, this news briefing is a great way to catch up on the day's news without needing to scroll through your phone.
Here's a rundown of what news briefings are and how to use them.
What are Siri news briefs?
With iOS 11.2.5, you'll be able to ask Siri give you a news brief from one of a few available sources. These briefs come through the iOS Podcasts app, offering news rundown shows provided by NPR, The Washington Post, Fox News, and CNN. Each news brief is actually the latest episode in a daily news podcast offered by those news organizations.
Siri will only offer a news brief from a single source, which by default appears to be NPR for now. However, you can ask Siri to change your news source to one of the other three available services if you choose.
How to get Siri to play a news brief
Getting Siri to play a news brief is as simple as asking it to. However, note that you'll need to use the "Hey Siri" command, rather than holding down your Home button (or side button on iPhone X), as holding the button will have Siri show you headlines found in the News app.
- Say "Hey Siri, give me the news" to start your briefing.
- Say "Hey Siri, switch to [choose one: Washington Post, CNN, Fox News, or NPR] to switch between the available briefing services.
- Tap Open Podcasts to be taken to the Podcasts app and the show to which you're currently listening.
Questions?
If you have any more questions about Siri news briefs, let us know in the comments.
