Apple is rolling out a Siri podcast news feature for users of iOS 11.2.2. It previously showed up in the iOS 11.2.5 beta, but now it’s in the official release.
“Hey Siri, what’s the news today?”
If you ask Siri what the news is today, she’ll open a news podcast so you can start listening. The default option in the United States is NPR, but you can change it to Fox News, CNN, or the Washington Post. This only works with Apple’s Podcasts app, and not a third-party app.
If you’re in another country, a podcast from a local news station will appear. For example, in the U.K. Siri will give you news from BBC, Sky News, or LBC. The Siri podcast feature was designed for the HomePod in mind, and it’s designed for hands-free situations.
In contrast, if you invoke Siri using the Home or Side button and ask for news, Siri will give you text-based news instead.