Siri might be able to generate smart replies when user can’t answer call

Apple has filed a patent that shows Siri giving smart replies to caller when the user declines a phone call.

Apple’s patent application shows that the tech giant is figuring out ways to make declining a phone call on an iPhone as a more ‘pleasant experience’ in the future, with the help of its virtual assistant Siri.

The patent explains that by looking at the context (like the phone’s location or if ‘Do Not Disturb’ mode is enabled) and also by analyzing who the call is from, Siri will generate custom responses that will be more precise to the user’s current situation than the usual default messages found.

Apple’s virtual assistant Siri hints about its major makeover

“An Apple patent application published for ‘Intelligent Digital Assistant for Declining an Incoming Call’ aims to fix the problem by having Siri or another digital assistant automatically work out why the call cannot be accepted,” Apple Insider reported.

Images from the patent application describes Siri pulling data from Apple Maps and suggesting a smart reply that includes the street that the user is on and how long would it take to reach the destination. Another image identifies the caller’s boss and provides similar location-based responses, reported The Verge.

At present, Apple already provides a list of simple, generic responses the user can choose from when they can’t or do not wish to answer the call. Apple also introduced a ‘Do Not Disturb While Driving’ mode in iOS 11 where Siri would automatically notify future callers about the reason the user is unable to receive the call, wrote Economic Times.