The iPhone boasts a plethora of features that users do not know. Although some of them are running on default, some are quite hidden and there's a need to explore them deeply.
Among these, Apple has consistently emphasized accessibility, ensuring that people with physical challenges can enjoy the iPhone experience just like everyone else.
A lesser-known trick users miss is the Sound Recognition feature. It can be helpful to everyone, especially for those who have hearing problems.
What is Sound Recognition?
Sound Recognition is designed to help users who might miss important audible alerts in their environment by using on-device intelligence to notify them when specific sounds are detected.
According to Apple, this feature relies on on-device intelligence that alerts users if they miss hard-to-hear sounds around them.
When enabled, Sound Recognition will send push notifications to alert you of detected sounds, even if you can't hear them. While primarily intended for the hard of hearing, this feature can also be valuable for users without hearing issues.
How Sound Recognition Works
Sound Recognition operates entirely on your iPhone. When the AI detects a sound, it processes and identifies it locally on your device, eliminating the need for internet connectivity. This guarantees that your alerts and detected events remain private and secure.
Types of Sounds Recognized by iPhone
As of iOS 16, iPhone's Sound Recognition can identify various sounds, including:
- Fire alarms
- Sirens
- Smoke alarms
- Cats
- Dogs
- Appliances
- Car horns
- Doorbells
- Door knocks
- Glass breaking
- Kettles
- Water running
- Baby crying
- Coughing
- Shouting
How to Enable Sound Recognition on Your iPhone
Sound Recognition is not enabled by default, but activating it is straightforward. You'll need an iPhone running iOS 14 or later, as per FoxNews.
Follow these steps to enable Sound Recognition and set it to detect a door knock:
- Go to the Settings app.
- Click on Accessibility.
- Under the Hearing header, tap Sound Recognition.
- Toggle the switch to green (ON). Wait for the required sound files to download.
- Once the files are downloaded, click the Sounds button.
- On the Sounds screen, click any sound you want your iPhone to recognize, such as Door Bell.
- Toggle the switch to green (ON) next to the types of sounds you want your iPhone to listen for.
After completing these steps, your iPhone will continuously listen for the selected sounds and notify you when it detects them.
Apple's Public Advise About Sound Recognition
While Sound Recognition is a useful feature, Apple advises against relying on it in situations where you could be injured or killed.
As stated on their website, "Don't rely on your iPhone to recognize sounds in circumstances where you may be harmed or injured, in high-risk or emergency situations, or for navigation."
By understanding and utilizing Sound Recognition, users can enhance their iPhone experience, ensuring they never miss important environmental alerts, whether they have hearing impairments or not.
