iOS 11 will let you type queries to Siri

Take that, Google Assistant.

One of iOS 11's many (many, many) unsung features from the "even more iOS features" slide during Apple's Monday keynote? An accessibility feature called "Type to Siri."

It's exactly what it sounds like: A textual interface where you can write your queries to Siri, rather than ask them. When iOS 11 comes out in the fall, users will be able to turn on "Type to Siri" in their accessibility settings, which will let you write your commands to Siri, rather than shout them into space.

As of now, Type to Siri is an accessibility feature: It's designed for folks who may not be able to speak their queries and need a keyboard (or other switch control-based device) to do so, and a huge boon for them, too.

But even those without need for accessibility features may love this feature — Google's Assistant offers both a text and type interface, allowing for quick and quiet answers to questions when a typical voice query won't do.

Apple occasionally offers updates to iOS, watchOS, tvOS, and macOS as closed developer previews or public betas for iPhone, iPad, and Mac. (Sadly, no public betas for the Apple Watch or tvOS.) While the betas contain new features, they also contain pre-release bugs that can prevent the normal use of your iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Apple TV, or Mac, and are not intended for everyday use on a primary device. That's why we strongly recommend staying away from developer previews unless you need them for software development, and using the public betas with caution. If you depend on your devices, wait for the final release.

How to turn on Type to Siri

Open the Settings app.
Navigate to General > Accessibility > Siri.
Enable the toggle at the top of the screen that reads Type to Siri.
Trigger Siri by holding down the Home button.

Tip: Even though Siri isn't set up to receive voice commands in this mode, you can still dictate by tapping the Dictation button on your keyboard.