Apple updated its Siri assistant for users in the United States to offer advice when asking about COVID-19.
According to CNBC, when asking about coronavirus, Siri will guide users through a step-by-step questionnaire, based on information from the U.S. Center of Disease Control and Prevention.
If you ask, “Do I have coronavirus?” Siri will reply, “If you’re worried you might have coronavirus (COVID-19), a few yes/no questions can help you understand your situation. (Answers from the US Public Health Service in concert with the CDC). Ready to begin?”
The walkthrough is helpful for users in the United States as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to spread in the country.
What about for users of Apple’s Siri in Canada? We asked Siri, “I think I have COVID-19” and the response was, “You can find detailed information about the novel coronavirus at canada.ca,” while offering a link to the Government of Canada website.
If you ask Google Assistant “Do I have coronavirus,” the assistant provides an audible answer detailing symptoms of COVID-19 based on information from the World Health Organization. If you ask Siri the same question, you’ll still get her default answer pointing to the Canada.ca website.
It’ll be interesting to see how Apple will evolve Siri’s COVID-19 answers in Canada, as the pandemic continues. In the meantime, stay home, practice social distancing and don’t forget to disinfect your iPhone every now and then!
