A method of activating voice control on a wireless device includes sampling signals from a plurality of sensors on the device, determining if the device is in a hands-on state by a user on the basis of the signal sampling, and enabling a voice activated detection (VAD) application on the device on the basis of the determination. A voice controlled apparatus in a wireless device includes a plurality of sensors arranged on the device, a microphone, a controller to sample signals from one or more of the plurality of sensors, a processor coupled to the controller, and a voice activated detection (VAD) application running on the processor coupled to the controller and the microphone.