Nov 18, 2025 11:32:00

Apple to add a feature to iOS that allows users to launch third-party voice assistants other than Siri from the iPhone's side button, exclusive to Japan

The iPhone has a 'side button' that is used for basic operations such as powering on and off and sleeping. In a developer document, Apple announced that 'in Japan only, you will be able to launch voice conversation apps from the side button.'

Launching your voice-based conversational app from the side button of iPhone | Apple Developer Documentation

https://developer.apple.com/documentation/appintents/launching-your-voice-based-conversational-app-from-the-side-button-of-iphone

Apple confirms side-button support for 3rd-party assistants in Japan - 9to5Mac
https://9to5mac.com/2025/11/17/iphone-replace-siri-side-button-japan-ios-26-2/

You can put your iPhone to sleep by pressing the side button once, or power it off by pressing and holding both the side button and the volume button. You can also activate Siri by pressing and holding the side button alone.

Apple released iOS 26.2 beta 3 to developers on November 17, 2025. Apple news site 9to5Mac reviewed the code for iOS 26.2 beta 3 and discovered that the company is working on a feature that allows users to call third-party voice assistants other than Siri using the iPhone's side button.

According to 9to5Mac, iOS 26.2 beta 3 includes a system app called 'SystemVoiceAssistant' that can be launched with the side button. It allows you to assign voice-enabled apps to the side button. The company also found a code string that reads 'APP_NOT_AVAILABLE_FOR_SIDE_BUTTON_IN_REGION (Apps are not available for the side button in your region).'

Apple then published a document on its developer blog titled 'Launching Voice Conversation Apps from the iPhone Side Button - Allowing users in Japan to set their iPhone's side button to launch voice-based conversation apps,' which states, 'The functionality provided by the App Intents activate schema API is only available on iPhones in Japan and requires

the Side Button Access permission. During development, please install the provisioning profile on an iPhone test device and test the functionality. On your production device, your Apple account's country or region must be set to Japan, and you must be physically located in Japan.'

Additionally, Apple has hinted that the side button will be able to be assigned to launch voice conversation apps, potentially integrating with Spotlight, App Shortcuts, etc. for instant access to app functions. Apple hasn't explicitly stated that this feature will be released in iOS 26.2, but given that similar code was included in the beta, it seems likely that it will be implemented soon.