Apple says it has fixed a bug in its iPhone dictation system that momentarily suggested the word “Trump” when it picked up a command with an “R” sound — including when the word “racist” was said aloud.
The tech giant responded to the software error after numerous iPhone users shared videos online bringing attention to the glitch.
When the dictation feature was activated and users said the word “racist,” “Trump” would appear in the text suggestion box for a short period before the correct word appeared.
“We are aware of an issue with the speech recognition model that powers Dictation and we are rolling out a fix today,” Apple said in a statement on Wednesday, adding that “racist” is not the only “R” word where the glitch occurs.
Speech recognition technology used by the company does suggest terms with phonetic similarities on occasion, Apple said.
Recently, the California-based company has been on Trump’s radar. On Wednesday, Trump called on Apple to remove its diversity, equity and inclusion policy after its investors voted down a policy to drop them.
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“APPLE SHOULD GET RID OF DEI RULES, NOT JUST MAKE ADJUSTMENTS TO THEM. DEI WAS A HOAX THAT HAS BEEN VERY BAD FOR OUR COUNTRY. DEI IS GONE!!!,” he wrote on Truth Social.
While Apple continues to stand firm in this area, a number of its competitors, including Amazon, Meta and Google, have already scrapped their DEI policies.
Earlier this week, Apple announced its intention to invest half a trillion dollars in the U.S. over the next four years, which includes a plan to hire 20,000 personnel and build a new server factory in Texas.
“We are bullish on the future of American innovation, and we’re proud to build on our long-standing U.S. investments with this $500 billion commitment to our country’s future,” Apple CEO Tim Cook said in a press release on Monday.
The move came a matter of days after Trump said Cook agreed to relocate the company’s manufacturing operations from Mexico to the U.S.
— With files from The Associated Press
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