Siri Backlash Threatens Apple’s Future Magic

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Is it just me or does it sure seem like there is a lot of hate for Siri going around lately. :confused:

The risk Apple runs by doing this, of course, is that Siri’s “rough edges” taint the product to the point that it’s hard to market it as something magical when Apple TV finally hits, supposedly late next year. All it takes is for Siri to become the butt of late-night talk show hosts’ jokes, and suddenly Siri is the new Newton.
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Sounds like the "beta" thing doesn't work out so well for Apple. Plus, it was an excuse to pump out another iPhone and get some saps to buy "new" phones.
 
I was at work today in the pre-op area of the main OR in a children's hospital. The Nurses were asking each other where one of the doctors were. As a joke, one of the nurses pulls out her iPhone and asks Siri if the doctor was still alive (in very clear English). Siri couldn't really parse it so it responded with "Let me look up whether or not (N-Word) is dead or alive". Everyone just kind of stared at each other for a second before bursting with laughter.
 
There is no more magic left, no one realizes it yet... apple's pursuit of perfection died with Jobs.. very sad really.
 
I'm sure the average Apple fan would disagree but for the large part Apple just doesn't do bleeding edge, especially not with software. Sorry, consistent and reliable and practical voice at the level Siri tries to do it simply isn't there. And it's not Apple's fault necessarily. Think about how many times either you misunderstand what a human says or vice versa, even people get it wrong a lot.
 
It will get better with time. Just the data alone that they collect from it will help them improve it, that along with ever increasing processing power will eventually turn it into something amazing. Some things like this you really do have to throw it out to the customers in a 'beta' state simply because those interactions will go to improve the future versions. You've got to start somewhere.
 
heatlesssun said:
Think about how many times either you misunderstand what a human says or vice versa, even people get it wrong a lot.
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Yeah, but given how underwhelming the 4S is there was no reason to upgrade to the 4S so they made Siri a 4S exclusive despite it's unfinished state to make a compelling reason to buy the 4S.
 
vsboxerboy said:
Yeah, but given how underwhelming the 4S is there was no reason to upgrade to the 4S so they made Siri a 4S exclusive despite it's unfinished state to make a compelling reason to buy the 4S.
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Siri is still neat and does a lot of useful things but at the end of the day it's mostly hype to push a new phone that otherwise didn't get any real upgrade this year as the technology is cloud based and would work on device Apple wanted.
 
I didn't get the iPhone 4S for Siri, my 2+ year old Droid Eris just wasn't cutting it anymore. Liked the camera and screen on the 4S.

Siri is a fun toy, but somewhere between either it's inability to understand me or my inability to speak to it properly, it is useless for getting things done. More often than not, I get "Sorry, I can't help you right now" because the network is down or Siri cannot connect. Concept is cool, but needs to mature.
 
Mackowitz said:
I didn't get the iPhone 4S for Siri, my 2+ year old Droid Eris just wasn't cutting it anymore. Liked the camera and screen on the 4S.
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I get that, but my sister needed a new iPhone and opted to buy a used 4 vs a new 4S because for the price of the new phone it did not justify the minimal feature advances. It's still a great phone Siri or not.
 
heatlesssun said:
Well Steve Jobs signed off on Siri didn't he?
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He also signed off on making a computer case out of magnesium. He's not the infallable genius he was made out to be. He got lucky with exactly two products: iPod, iPhone. The iPad is stupid and people will eventually understand that.

As for Siri...on the back of a recent Time magazine (one I saw, I don't subscribe) it had a picture of Siri answering the question "Where is the nearest gas station?" and it showed a returned Google Map of the local gas station.

So I pressed voice search on my phone, and asked "Where is the nearest gas station?" and got a Google Map of the local gas station.

Not impressed. I'd have made a video but I make videos with my phone so that would be tricky.
 
vsboxerboy said:
Yeah, but given how underwhelming the 4S is there was no reason to upgrade to the 4S so they made Siri a 4S exclusive despite it's unfinished state to make a compelling reason to buy the 4S.
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Do humans grab your head, hold your ear 9 inches from their mouth, and try to say something as clearly as possible?

Anyone who misunderstood things in that situation would get punched in the face on an hourly basis.
 
Aluisious said:
He also signed off on making a computer case out of magnesium. He's not the infallable genius he was made out to be. He got lucky with exactly two products: iPod, iPhone. The iPad is stupid and people will eventually understand that.

As for Siri...on the back of a recent Time magazine (one I saw, I don't subscribe) it had a picture of Siri answering the question "Where is the nearest gas station?" and it showed a returned Google Map of the local gas station.

So I pressed voice search on my phone, and asked "Where is the nearest gas station?" and got a Google Map of the local gas station.

Not impressed. I'd have made a video but I make videos with my phone so that would be tricky.
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No, I don't think any human is infallible, not even Steve Jobs. On my Windows Phone I would say "find gas stations" and it will give me a list of the nearest gas stations around me on a Bing Map, not remarkably in most ways. Overall I've been very happy with the voice capabilities of Windows Phone, not as advanced as Siri but practical and solid. I use it to bang out quick text messages if I'm in a situation where I can speak, that actually works pretty decently as long as I enunciate well.
 
Pianomahnn said:
If the software running on the processors is mediocre it doesn't matter how powerful the hardware is.
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software runs through Apple's server, not the iPhone itself.... apple puts it only for the 4S b/c its "beta" or "forcing people to upgrade"

people have gotten siri to work on the older phones/hardware
 
wuzupfoo said:
There is no more magic left, no one realizes it yet... apple's pursuit of perfection died with Jobs.. very sad really.
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Jobs was still involved while the iPhone 4S was in development.

Apple running out of ideas and Jobs dying just happened to be coincidental.
 
Pianomahnn said:
If the software running on the processors is mediocre it doesn't matter how powerful the hardware is.
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Did you not read the other part of my post or are you just incapable of understanding it? Please share with us the answer so that we may either put you on ignore or simply feel sorry for you.
 
techrat said:
Jobs was still involved while the iPhone 4S was in development.

Apple running out of ideas and Jobs dying just happened to be coincidental.
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I don't think they're running out of ideas, great artists steal after all. It's just that if you're Apple for now you can cost from time to time and still sell a shitload of product. While Windows Phone isn't a big yet a lot of people are saying that it could top the iPhone in total sales in a few years. Whether that will happen or not is not important today, and if today you can coast and make a ton of money, that's what any smart bossiness would do. If you're Apple today with a solid gold market position and no real competition from Windows Phone yet for the #2 spot, no point in wasting tech when you don't need it.

Not saying that's how Apple was thinking about it but considering the lengths they seem to be willing to go to to sue Android makers to the stone ages I imagine they are also willing to pace themselves with product enhancements when it makes sense or in direct response from competition as needed.
 
Meh all the media drummed up controversy is just more free advertising for Apple, just like Antenna-gate was. I sort of see why they restricted it to 4S so they could limit use of and fine tune it. Siri is kinda reminiscent of last years Kinect, a not so new technology revamped and put into consumer hands to do what not with.
 
Tweak42 said:
Meh all the media drummed up controversy is just more free advertising for Apple, just like Antenna-gate was. I sort of see why they restricted it to 4S so they could limit use of and fine tune it. Siri is kinda reminiscent of last years Kinect, a not so new technology revamped and put into consumer hands to do what not with.
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Kinect is fairly unique compare to Siri.
 
Windows has supported voice commands and dictation for some time. But, talking just takes too much effort for any Windows user to care about. True, Windows voice-recognition doesn't have the Google-like intelligence of Siri, but voice is a gimmick for anyone with working hands.
 
Apple is sitting on a gold mine.

Voice computing has many practical applications.

The key is how to package the entire thing properly, where sensible.

And to know exactly where/when/what/how to start, and where/when/what/how to alternate...

Obviously many can see the points as well.
 
Look at all the whiney haters that emerge from their Mom's basement anytime there is a anti-Apple post. Funny how there isn't anywhere near as many posts when negative press comes out about Andriod (recent example, CarrierIQ). Oh, that is right, because Apple users actually have a life. Go back and play with your virus-laden rootkit-spewing epitome of mediocrity Andriod phones you unwashed heathens.
 
heatlesssun said:
I'm sure the average Apple fan would disagree but for the large part Apple just doesn't do bleeding edge, especially not with software. Sorry, consistent and reliable and practical voice at the level Siri tries to do it simply isn't there. And it's not Apple's fault necessarily. Think about how many times either you misunderstand what a human says or vice versa, even people get it wrong a lot.
Click to expand...

Not bleeding edge but very simplistic and polished. When was the last time you heard "beta" in regards to any Apple software? The only time they release something is if there is no way anyone will find the bugs in it or if its so locked down you have no idea if its buggy or part of the peice of software itself.

Sadly releasing a product like this from Apple is very peculiar. They usually test their software to death before releasing it as to not give it a bad name.

And the Newton did eventually become a pretty awesome device, but that was too long after everyone gave up on it.
 
Trimlock said:
And the Newton did eventually become a pretty awesome device, but that was too long after everyone gave up on it.
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Agree with all you said but this. I had a Newton as I'm big into digital ink, writing this post now on the couch now. The Newton didn't core ANYWHERE close to the handwriting recognition that was even XP, heck Apple's own inkwell worked better.

For the time and for what it was the Newton did become ok but I never found it anywhere as practical as a digital pen based Windows Tablet PC for handwriting recognition.
 
Trimlock said:
Not bleeding edge but very simplistic and polished. When was the last time you heard "beta" in regards to any Apple software? The only time they release something is if there is no way anyone will find the bugs in it or if its so locked down you have no idea if its buggy or part of the peice of software itself.

Sadly releasing a product like this from Apple is very peculiar. They usually test their software to death before releasing it as to not give it a bad name.

And the Newton did eventually become a pretty awesome device, but that was too long after everyone gave up on it.
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They had to do it this way. Microsoft and Google have been collecting voice recognition data for years (remember Goog411?). This is the only way that Apple could get the data they need to make the recognition software more accurate. Mass use. The original Siri app just wasn't used by enough people to generate the data they needed.
 
txfeinbergs said:
Look at all the whiney haters that emerge from their Mom's basement anytime there is a anti-Apple post. Funny how there isn't anywhere near as many posts when negative press comes out about Andriod (recent example, CarrierIQ). Oh, that is right, because Apple users actually have a life. Go back and play with your virus-laden rootkit-spewing epitome of mediocrity Andriod phones you unwashed heathens.
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Psst. iPhones also had CarrierIQ.

Go back to your cave, troll.
 
txfeinbergs said:
Look at all the whiney haters that emerge from their Mom's basement anytime there is a anti-Apple post. Funny how there isn't anywhere near as many posts when negative press comes out about Andriod (recent example, CarrierIQ). Oh, that is right, because Apple users actually have a life. Go back and play with your virus-laden rootkit-spewing epitome of mediocrity Andriod phones you unwashed heathens.
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Yeah, none of the people here have iPhones and though that doesn't include me heck I kinda think Siri is cool, just not Apple an style "it just works" product.
 
heatlesssun said:
Agree with all you said but this. I had a Newton as I'm big into digital ink, writing this post now on the couch now. The Newton didn't core ANYWHERE close to the handwriting recognition that was even XP, heck Apple's own inkwell worked better.

For the time and for what it was the Newton did become ok but I never found it anywhere as practical as a digital pen based Windows Tablet PC for handwriting recognition.
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Dude the Newton was ended in 98!

I'd hope by the time that XP got its recognition software working (which I believe was a year or two after its release) was better then what the Newton had!

Just remember it was a product that barely worked from 87 till they ended it in 98 with it barely working. I believe it got one last update after they ended the cycle which made it a pretty damn good product.

I think Apple really learned from the Newton.
 
Trimlock said:
Dude the Newton was ended in 98!

I'd hope by the time that XP got its recognition software working (which I believe was a year or two after its release) was better then what the Newton had!

Just remember it was a product that barely worked from 87 till they ended it in 98 with it barely working. I believe it got one last update after they ended the cycle which made it a pretty damn good product.

I think Apple really learned from the Newton.
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I had one of the last Newtons, got it just as they were canceled and I got one of the first Windows XP Tablet PCs which come out in November 2002. While Tablet PCs came out four years after the Newton was canceled as far as the handwriting recognition goes it felt like the Tablet PC was a hundred years ahead.

For what it was the Newton was ok but the handwriting engine just sucked compared to a Wacom pen based XP Tablet PC. And look, most people consider the Tablet PC a failure, this subject has been at the heart of Microsoft's tablet woes. As big of a Tablet PC fan as I am I get that. Tablet PCs as we know them today are not much to brag about in the general consumer tech world, though the newest ones are pretty impressive though very expensive.

But the handwriting engine in Windows is impressive and the combination of hardware and software is quite simply a quantum leap over anything prior to it. And in the ten years since the Tablet PC was launched nothing still comes close. Of course Apple abandoned all work real work in handwriting recognition the after the Newton (though Inkwell I guess is still around, don't know) and Google is at best just toying with the technology. It is niche and expensive to develop so there's not much interest in it.

I think it could be big deal for Windows 8 if there are inexpensive ARM digital pen machines that are as fast and accurate as today's x86 machines. This kind of machine coupled with a fully touch and pen enabled version of OneNote, just a huge professional and educational opportunity with right hardware and the right price. And I would have said something that Apple would NEVER compete with since Jobs' damnation of pen computing but he's past (RIP) so never say never.
 
Samsung has something similar to Siri on the Galaxy S2. Difference is that they don't advertise the crap out of it because they know it is not yet where it really needs to be. Apple knew Siri wasn't even close to ready, but they still chose to make it their main selling point for the 4S.... Since it was the only way they could convince people who already have a 4 to upgrade.

Apple can get away with this too because every single customer is also a dedicated apologist for the company. They have to be because otherwise they would have to admit the truth to themselves, that they paid way to much for what they got.
 
vsboxerboy said:
Yeah, but given how underwhelming the 4S is there was no reason to upgrade to the 4S so they made Siri a 4S exclusive despite it's unfinished state to make a compelling reason to buy the 4S.
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Even without Siri, I'm sure they would have sold millions, just so all the ibots could say they have the latest & greatest iphone.
 
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