Apple has officially rolled out iOS 18.4, a mid-cycle update that brings a surprising amount of polish and fresh features to iPhone users. Among the more visible updates—like new emojis, enhanced Photos app filters, and major CarPlay improvements—there’s one change that hasn’t received much attention: new TTS (Text-to-Speech) voices for Siri.
What’s New With Siri Voices in iOS 18.4?
Apple quietly introduced new Siri voices in iOS 18.4, expanding its roster of system-generated voices used for reading text aloud. These additions are part of Apple’s continued efforts to make their devices more inclusive and versatile through accessibility tools like Spoken Content and VoiceOver.
While the voices themselves are quite natural and cover more localized variants than before, they come with a significant limitation: Apple restricts the use of Siri voices to its own system apps. That means if you’re using third-party apps that rely on advanced reading features, such as bookmarking, pronunciation editing, or offline dictionaries, these new voices won’t be available.
How Do Apple’s TTS Voices Compare to AI Voice Leaders?
Apple’s TTS technology continues to evolve, but it still lags behind the cutting-edge neural voices offered by companies like Microsoft, Google, and OpenAI. These companies provide extremely expressive and lifelike voice models, often trained on powerful large language models and delivered through cloud APIs.
For users who demand more than just basic reading—such as natural pauses, emphasis control, and emotion-rich delivery—Apple’s voices may not be enough. If you’re looking to experience the full range of modern AI-powered TTS, your best option is to try a cross-platform app that integrates all these providers.
Try Premium AI Voices in Speech Central
If you’re serious about voice quality, look no further than Speech Central. It’s one of the few apps that supports Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud, and OpenAI voices—all in one package. It also includes advanced reading features such as multi-language support, automatic article detection, and deep customization options.
Whether you’re using it to read books, web pages, or documents, Speech Central is built to deliver the most human-sounding and powerful reading experience available on iOS.
Other Notable Features in iOS 18.4
- New Emojis: Including a tired face, harp, turnip, and a flag of Sark.
- Photos App Updates: Filter by shared content and improved album views.
- Ambient Music in Control Center: New sound categories for Sleep, Chill, Productivity, and Wellbeing.
- CarPlay Enhancements: More apps on screen with three-row app view.
- Security Fixes: iOS 18.4 includes patches for over 60 vulnerabilities—making this a critical update.
Final Thoughts
While Apple’s new TTS voices in iOS 18.4 are a step forward, they remain locked inside the Apple ecosystem. For users looking to unlock the future of AI-powered text-to-speech, third-party solutions like Speech Central offer a more advanced and versatile experience.
Explore Speech Central today and hear the difference yourself: Download from the App Store.