iOS 5.1 Will Add Japanese Siri Support, New Lock Screen [REPORT]

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Boy Genius Report says it somehow got a look at Apple's coming iOS 5.1 update, which it reports will be hitting the the streets around March 9. With the update, Apple continues to improve Siri, adding Japanese language support. The iPhone 4S has been available in Japan since October, but if the report is true soon its people will actually be able to the digital voice assistant. You might also want to get ready for a new wave of humorous viral videos surrounding Siri's answers, possibly with more Manga references.

With iOS 5, first released to the public last fall, Apple added the ability to launch the camera app straight from the lock screen. Since camera-worthy moments often strike fast and evaporate just as quickly, being able to quickly switch the phone to camera mode was a great improvement. It brought iOS in line with competing mobile devices (such as many BlackBerry models, which have a dedicated button to launch the camera), and it addressed security by giving the user access to the camera only from the lock screen.

According to the report, calling up the camera from the lock screen is about to get even more immediate. Currently, iOS 5 users must double tap the home button and touch the onscreen camera icon. With iOS 5.1, all they'll need to do is call up the home screen, which will have a permanent camera icon, and slide a finger upwards. It's a minor change, but anything that cuts down the time to launch the camera can help capture those rare, unrepeatable moments.

Apple doesn't comment on rumor or speculation, so we'll just have to wait until early March to see if these upgrades are for real.

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