For better or worse, your voice might soon be all it takes for Siri to send cash. Last year, Apple promised a major upgrade for Siri with some serious AI improvements. But here we are, still waiting for that smarter Siri to show up.
While that next-gen Siri is MIA, Apple isn’t done dreaming big for its voice assistant.
A recently uncovered patent suggests that Apple might be working on a way to let users make payments and access sensitive data just by speaking to Siri, even with their iPhone locked. No Face ID, no passcode. Just say “Hey Siri, pay Mom 20 bucks.”
Before you panic about someone yelling at your phone to empty your bank account, there’s a catch: this feature would only work if your iPhone is connected to a trusted, pre-authenticated accessory like your Apple Watch or AirPods. In other words, Siri needs a little backup before handling anything that could cost you money.
The patent details a system where Siri listens for natural language commands like “Send $10 to John,” even when the device is locked. Once it hears a command, it checks the request’s security and ensures the connected accessory meets the necessary trust criteria. This could include factors like proximity, signal strength, recent verification, encryption keys, or other security signals.
If everything checks out, Siri would go ahead and process the task, even with the iPhone locked, providing confirmation through Siri’s voice or a visual cue on the screen.
Apple calls this a layered security system that combines your voice with trust signals from accessories you already own. In theory, it sounds like a great idea.
This could be a game-changer for things like in-car payments, quick file sharing, or controlling smart home devices without having to pick up your phone. But, as with most things, there are some concerns.
To be honest, I’m not sure I’d trust Siri to handle payments just yet. The assistant still struggles with simple commands more often than I’d like. For example, I once asked Siri to “Call Mom,” and it ended up calling a friend instead. That’s annoying enough, but if it was a payment instead of a phone call, it could’ve turned into a huge mess, complete with refunds and awkward explanations.
The reality is, Siri still feels like it’s in beta half the time. So the idea of letting it handle my money without even unlocking my phone? Yeah, that’s going to take a lot of convincing.
Of course, like many patents, this idea might never make it to an actual product. But if Apple seriously wants Siri to be your voice-powered wallet, they’ll need to make sure it’s a lot more reliable. Because right now, even with basic tasks, Siri still feels like a gamble. And when it comes to money, that’s not a risk most people are ready to take.