Oliver Haslam on October 3, 2019, 10:57 pm

iOS 13.2 Lets You Use Third-Party Phone / Messaging Apps As Default Via Siri

Apple will be easing some of the restrictions that it places on third-party apps and developers in terms of using Siri once iOS 13.2 rolls out to the public.

According to Bloomberg we can expect the new software update later this year that will allow third-party messaging apps to hook into Siri in a way that is currently not possible, unless you’re running iOS 13.2 beta 1.

In its current state Siri will atomically use Messages if you instruct it to send a message to someone. If someone wants to send the message via a third-party app, they must then specify that during their initial instruction to Siri. However, once iOS 13.2 appears, that will all change.

With the update installed Siri will learn which messaging apps to use when sending messages to their contacts. That will be granular, so if someone sends messages to one person via Messages but another via WhatsApp, Siri will know and act accordingly. With that in mind we also hope that the quick access shortcuts at the top of iOS 13’s share sheet also follow suit.

This all appears to have come following a separate Bloomberg report which noted that Apple apps have an advantage over third-party ones thanks to the way iOS and Siri use them by default. A House antitrust panel has also asked Apple about third-party access, with a company spokesperson issuing a statement.

Apple offers our users an experience that is only possible from the integration of hardware, software, and services. From the very first iPhone, we have included apps to provide customers with a great experience right out of the box for making phone calls, playing music, surfing the web, and more. With every generation of iPhone we have advanced the built in capabilities for our customers with a few default apps designed for great performance, long battery life, seamless integration, and industry-leading protections for security and privacy. We have also created the App Store, the safest place to get apps, so customers can choose from millions of apps to find the ones that further enhance their iPhone. In the few categories where Apple also has an app, we have many successful competitors and we’re proud that their success is responsible for almost 2 million U.S. jobs in a thriving multibillion dollar market for developers. Our North Star is always to create the best products for our customers and that is why iPhone has the highest customer satisfaction in the industry.

It won’t be that long till we see iOS 13.2 being released to the public, but if you’re not in the mood to wait for this much-awaited functionality, you can go the beta route.

(Source: Bloomberg)