Abstract:
Apple has ushered in a landmark open initiative in its latest iteration of system software. In the latest iOS system, users can freely replace Siri, the long-standing system-level default voice assistant, with third-party artificial intelligence models such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Anthropic’s Claude, and Google Gemini.
It marks a breakthrough step for Apple in the openness and modularity of the mobile AI ecosystem.
Based on actual testing of system settings and functions, this new alternative mechanism is deeply integrated into the "Apple Smart and Siri" or system default application management menu. Users can not only choose their preferred third-party AI engine as the global default assistant, but also directly remap the physical operations of the body - such as long pressing the power button (side button) or operating the "Action Button" on the iPhone - to invoke ChatGPT or Claude with one click. This means that users no longer need to go through the cumbersome transfer process of "first waking up Siri, and then Siri requesting relay permission from the third-party model". Instead, users can directly trigger the third-party large language model to start contextual multi-round conversations through native hardware interaction.
In addition to underlying hardware wake-up redirection, the new mechanism also supports third-party models to access deeper system-level situational awareness. Under the premise of obtaining explicit authorization from the user, the connected third-party assistant can identify the summary of content currently displayed on the screen, directly receive multi-modal input from the clipboard, and achieve seamless collaboration with native applications such as system memos and reminders. Previously, when Apple first introduced external AI capabilities, it mainly used ChatGPT as an optional cloud extension, and an independent privacy confirmation pop-up window was required to pop up every time it was triggered; however, this time it fully supports third-party assistants to directly replace Siri's default behavior, giving users unprecedented independent decision-making power over the device's core intelligence engine.
Industry analysts pointed out that Apple’s move is not only a proactive adjustment to respond to antitrust and digital market regulatory pressures in many places around the world, but also a pragmatic strategy to adapt to the diversified competition pattern of generative large models. Especially in the context of the European Union's Digital Markets Act (DMA) and other antitrust regulations that impose strict restrictions on the establishment of "choice screens" and open core platform services by technology giants, allowing users to freely set their default digital assistants will help Apple effectively avoid the legal risk of allegedly favoring its own first-party services. At the same time, by decoupling the underlying computing platform from the top-level cutting-edge model, the iPhone is gradually transforming from a closed terminal that simply hosts Siri to a comprehensive hardware base that can flexibly schedule the world's mainstream cutting-edge AI services.
For hundreds of millions of iPhone users around the world, this major adjustment has completely changed the logic of daily mobile productivity and human-computer interaction. Whether it is Claude, which is known for its complex coding and logical reasoning, or ChatGPT, which is famous for its multi-modal universal creation, it can directly replace the traditional voice assistant and settle in the core interaction layer of the system. Users can customize the most suitable AI interaction center according to their personal professional workflow and subscription habits. It also opens up new possibilities for in-depth symbiosis between the Apple ecosystem and third-party cutting-edge AI giants.
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