Apple has introduced a new feature in iOS 17 and iPadOS 17, allowing Siri to read web articles aloud, resembling an audiobook experience even when your device is locked.
Whether you use an iPhone or iPad, you can now learn how to enable this functionality. For those who find reading lengthy articles on a small screen cumbersome, this update brings good news – Siri can now do the reading for you, making it effortless to listen instead.
How It Works
When using Siri to read web content aloud, there are some important considerations to remember. Firstly, the feature only works with Apple's Safari browser; third-party browsers won't support this functionality.
Secondly, the webpage you wish to have read must be compatible with Safari's Reader View. Most modern websites, particularly news articles, are compatible with this view, which presents a clean and legible page by removing images, ads, and other unnecessary content.
You can identify pages that support Reader View by looking for the words "Reader Available" and a document icon in the address bar during page loading. Tapping the aA icon that replaces it will confirm the Show Reader option's availability (not grayed out), indicating compatibility.
Lastly, if the article you want Siri to read is part of a feed, such as on the focus.hidubai.com homepage, you'll need to navigate to the individual article before proceeding with either of the following actions.
Method 1:
One way to get Siri to read the selected article to you is to hold your iPhone's side button (or top button on iPad) which will activate Siri. Then say "Read this to me." Alternatively, simply say "Siri, read this to me," hands-free. (In iOS 17, you don't even have to prefix a command with "Hey" to invoke Siri any more.)
Siri will then begin reading the article to you out loud, and a media player panel will appear in the upper section of the screen, allowing you to rewind, fast-forward, adjust the volume, and even AirPlay the spoken audio to another device.
Method 2:
Another way to get Siri talking is to tap the Aa icon in the address bar, then choose the Listen to Page option in the pop-up menu. Siri will immediately begin reading the page to you.
The only difference with this method is that, unless you lock your device while Siri is reading, you won't see a media control panel on the screen. If the article is still open in Safari, you can stop Siri from reading it by tapping the Pause Listening option that replaces the "Listen to Page" option in the Aa pop-up menu.
If you pause Siri, it will be replaced by a Resume Listening option, and the option will remain even if you navigate away from the page and return to it later.
So there you have it. With iOS 17, now almost any article on the web can be read to you via Siri while you're doing something else, even if your iPhone is locked and tucked away in your purse or pocket.
News Source: MacRumors.com
