During the recent Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2026, Apple introduced an innovative systemwide dictation feature, leveraging its new Apple Intelligence model powered by Google's Gemini on iOS 27.
This advanced dictation tool is seamlessly integrated into the keyboard, enhancing user experience by automatically correcting spelling, punctuation, and capitalization across various applications.
Recent trends have seen a surge in AI-driven dictation applications such as Wispr Flow, Willow, and Monolouge. These tools excel at eliminating filler words like "ums" and "ahs," while also formatting text contextually after transcription. Notably, Apple had begun to limit the functionality of some of these apps with the release of iOS 26.4, requiring additional steps to initiate dictation sessions using third-party keyboards.
The introduction of Apple's built-in dictation feature positions it as a potentially superior option compared to existing applications, particularly in terms of user-friendliness. However, it remains uncertain whether Apple will facilitate a more streamlined process for third-party developers with the rollout of iOS 27.
This strategic move by Apple follows Google's launch of a similar dictation capability within Gboard, also powered by Gemini, which offers cross-system functionality.