Apple introduced new Siri AI Audio Intelligence features, including Siri Recap, Live Rewind, Sound Recognition, and Music Recognition, during the iPhone Duo launch event. The company published a document detailing how these tools manage ambient listening while maintaining user privacy.
The system processes raw audio within the Secure Exclave, a hardware-isolated compartment inside the S11 chip. This chip powers the Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4. The raw data is not saved as a file and remains inaccessible to watchOS, apps, or Apple itself.
The microphone buffer operates as a continuously overwritten stream within the protected hardware, preventing the creation of audio recordings. Apple states that the system performs initial processing for speech, sounds, or music without transcribing or storing the original audio.
Users maintain control over the activation of these features. For instance, Live Rewind requires a double-tap on the Digital Crown for each use. Any data transferred to an iPhone is encrypted between the Secure Exclaves of both devices.
Text generated by Siri Recap and Live Rewind is subject to user management. Syncing this text across devices requires end-to-end encryption, which is enabled when a user sets a device passcode and utilizes two-factor authentication for iCloud.
