iOS 26.2 Update: iPhone Side Button Not Just for Siri in Japan Anymore!

New iPhone Feature in Japan: Long-Press Side Button to Access Alternative Voice Assistants

For the first time, holding down the side button on an iPhone will allow users to activate a voice assistant other than Siri. This feature is currently available in Japan with the release of iOS 26.2, where the third beta version was rolled out last night, enabling this new function. Apple has prepared the necessary documentation to help developers integrate their applications with this update. To use this feature, the Apple account’s country or region must be set to Japan, and the user must physically be in Japan.

In Japan, you can now configure the iPhone’s side button to instantly launch your voice chat application. Users expect to access this feature right from the moment they activate your app with this button. Therefore, make sure they can immediately use it by starting an audio session, for example, using AVFoundation.

European Influence on Apple’s New Feature

If you think this sounds like a move that the European Commission could have influenced, you’re exactly right. The Digital Markets Act (DMA) indeed allows for the installation of alternatives to Siri, and Mark Gurman reported last May that Apple was preparing to enable its users in the European Union to replace Siri with a personal assistant from a competing brand. More developments are expected on this front.