With Apple’s recent launch of iOS 8, the newest version of their mobile operating system for Apple devices, a range of new features have also implemented. One of the most useful and practical of these new features is the addition of Shazam, which has been seamlessly incorporated into Apple’s intelligent personal assistant Siri function.
Shazam has long been a popular app that provides users with a simple and quick song recognition service. It works by using the microphone of a device to ‘listen’, and is able to identify and differentiate between thousands of pieces of music. By incorporating the Shazam software into Siri, Apple device users can now ask Siri to listen to the song that is currently playing, and the song will be identified almost instantly. This allows users to identify songs without having to open the Shazam app, streamlining the process of identifying unknown music. This function will be available for all users of iPhones, iPads and iPod Touches devices running iOS 8.
As reported by the web site Apple Insider, Siri will respond to several different commands to identify music. This means users can ask in a range of different ways, including “What song is this?”, “What is currently playing?”, and even “Name that tune”. This will mean that users will not have to memorise a specific set of words, as well as giving them flexibility to use their own preferred command.
As well as identifying songs using Shazam, Siri will also be able to provide a link to identified songs so they can be purchased immediately from the iTunes store if desired, making it easier than ever to identify and download music straight onto your device.
