Apple is making it easier to ask Siri about text on the iPad, with a new shortcut coming to iPadOS 27.2 next week. For users with a connected trackpad, selecting text will bring up a small Siri icon beside the highlighted words. Hovering over it reveals an Ask Siri field, allowing users to make a request without opening a separate menu.
The feature mirrors an interaction already available in macOS 27 Golden Gate, bringing the same cursor-based convenience to the iPad. Users without a trackpad can still access the standard editing menu after selecting text, but reaching Siri requires an extra tap.
The update makes Siri feel more integrated into everyday tasks, particularly for people who use an iPad with a keyboard and trackpad. Rather than interrupting their workflow to open the assistant separately, they can ask about selected text directly, bringing the tablet experience a little closer to working on a Mac.
Image Credit: 9to5Mac
Why This Trend Is Growing
- Contextual AI Shortcuts
- Embedded assistant prompts within selected content create openings for software interfaces that deliver intelligence at the exact moment of user intent.
- Cursor-based Tablet Workflows
- Trackpad-optimized interactions on tablets signal growing demand for hybrid productivity experiences that blur the line between mobile and desktop computing.
- Inline Text Intelligence
- Selected text becoming a launch point for AI queries introduces new possibilities for writing, research, translation, and enterprise knowledge tools.
Industries Being Reshaped
- Consumer Electronics
- Tablet and accessory ecosystems can differentiate through deeper input-device integration that makes mobile hardware feel more capable for professional tasks.
- Productivity Software
- Document, note-taking, and collaboration platforms gain space to build frictionless AI assistance directly into editing and review workflows.
- Voice Assistants
- Digital assistant providers face opportunities to evolve beyond standalone commands into ambient, context-aware services embedded across everyday interfaces.
