More evidence of Nuance speech recognition integration has been found in the latest beta version of iOS 5. Citing a pair of screenshots provided by a reliable source, 9 to 5 Mac reports that the feature will be activated via a microphone button that appears on the standard iOS keyboard next to the space bar, with a microphone icon replacing the keyboard for as long as the user is talking, and the text appearing in the selected field once the speaker has finished. The report also claims that the functionality is currently planned to be included on the iPhone and iPod touch only, but notes that iPad support could technically be added. A pair of screenshots discovered in June suggested that such functionality might be included in iOS 5, and reports of negotiations between Apple and Nuance date back to early May.
Charles Starrett was a senior editor at iLounge. He's been covering the iPod, iPhone, and iPad since their inception. He has written numerous articles and reviews, and his work has been featured in multiple publications.