Apple Purchases iPhone 'Personal Assistant' Company Siri

MacRumors · Apr 28, 2010, 12:06 PM

Robert Scoble reports that Apple has purchased Siri, a company that has developed a free personal assistant application for the iPhone and iPod touch. Selected as the Most Innovative Web Technology in a contest at this year's SXSW festival, Siri offers automated personal assistant services by integrating a rapidly growing number of third-party services such as OpenTable, FlightStats, and Google Maps with voice-recognition technology from Nuance Communications.

Scoble discovered evidence (PDF) of the deal through a notification given by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission announcing an early termination of the standard waiting period for corporate mergers to allow the transaction to proceed. Mashable and ReadWriteWeb are also confirming that they have heard about the acquisition from their sources.

Article Link: Apple Purchases iPhone 'Personal Assistant' Company Siri

ReallyOldGuy · Apr 28, 2010, 12:09 PM

This is an awesome app and has incredible potential. Apple could do well with this

harodude · Apr 28, 2010, 12:12 PM

It could really help in hands free navigation, etc

rtabdo · Apr 28, 2010, 12:12 PM

This is pretty sweet! Very intersting!

Azmontana · Apr 28, 2010, 12:13 PM

Looks too good to be true!

JDee · Apr 28, 2010, 12:13 PM

Apple could implement this well into their 3G S voice feature.

-wiseguy- · Apr 28, 2010, 12:15 PM

that's amazing ... it can even interpret when you are drunk hahaha!

gusnyc · 12:40 PM

Steve, thanks for reading my thread on February 5th (third paragraph).

http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=860404

al256 · Apr 28, 2010, 12:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by -wiseguy-

that's amazing ... it can even interpret when you are drunk hahaha!

I'm sure Apple engineers can appreciate that

ChazUK · Apr 28, 2010, 12:17 PM

The app isn't available in the UK store sadly. I would like to have tried it out!

EstrlM3 · Apr 28, 2010, 12:17 PM

wow very awesome

EstrlM3 · Apr 28, 2010, 12:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by al256

I'm sure Apple engineers can appreciate that

ouch too early..

G58 · Apr 28, 2010, 12:21 PM

"Take me drunk I'm home"!!

Oh yeah, been there done that.

Now all I need is an app that says: "Taxi for Dr G immediately"!

Pechente · Apr 28, 2010, 12:24 PM

Just saw this video yesterday.

I hope Apple is gonna leave the app in the store until they implemented it into the iPhone OS.

apttap · Apr 28, 2010, 12:25 PM

Smart buy! Make it native to compete with android.

Friscohoya · Apr 28, 2010, 12:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gusnyc

Steve, thanks for reading my thread on February 5th.

http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=860404

Good call. Voice recognition in general is a big part of the future. I think that the personal assistant stuff is just the tip of the iceberg. I am expecting a new maps program from apple to include this, this could be used for security purposes (vioce activation) as well as just about every other mudane task on the iphone. Maybe apple is going to make an in car navigation kit? That could also be cool.

al256 · Apr 28, 2010, 12:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EstrlM3

ouch too early..

I'm sure if Steve announced that feature during a keynote, we'd all have a chuckle.

jtara · Apr 28, 2010, 12:29 PM

Huh? Yet another "find stuff nearby" and "book me a..." app? Why? There weren't enough already? And now Apple needs to have their own built-in?

Sorry to go against the grain here. But I just don't get it.

csixty4 · Apr 28, 2010, 12:32 PM

I guess that means the Blackberry version is never coming

superspiffy · Apr 28, 2010, 12:33 PM

Does this mean we'll finally have iCal integrated To-Dos?

D0rk · Apr 28, 2010, 12:34 PM

Man, Apple is like Pacman, just gobbling up companies.

It will be interesting to see what they use this technology for.

Bruizer · Apr 28, 2010, 12:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jtara

Huh? Yet another "find stuff nearby" and "book me a..." app? Why? There weren't enough already? And now Apple needs to have their own built-in?

Sorry to go against the grain here. But I just don't get it.

It is almost scary good and the context aspect is simply spooky.

guzhogi · Apr 28, 2010, 12:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jtara

Huh? Yet another "find stuff nearby" and "book me a..." app? Why? There weren't enough already? And now Apple needs to have their own built-in?

Sorry to go against the grain here. But I just don't get it.

And then Apple will block the other ones due to "duplicating functionality"

Nebrie · Apr 28, 2010, 12:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jtara

Huh? Yet another "find stuff nearby" and "book me a..." app? Why? There weren't enough already? And now Apple needs to have their own built-in?

Sorry to go against the grain here. But I just don't get it.

This is those apps + the star trek voice computer put together.

mcmlxix · Apr 28, 2010, 12:37 PM

Does it have a feature to tell you that you might be getting too drunk and subsequently misplace the phone?

Apr 28, 2010, 12:06 PM	#1
MacRumors macrumors bot Join Date: Apr 2001	Apple Purchases iPhone 'Personal Assistant' Company Siri Robert Scoble reports that Apple has purchased Siri, a company that has developed a free personal assistant application for the iPhone and iPod touch. Selected as the Most Innovative Web Technology in a contest at this year's SXSW festival, Siri offers automated personal assistant services by integrating a rapidly growing number of third-party services such as OpenTable, FlightStats, and Google Maps with voice-recognition technology from Nuance Communications. Scoble discovered evidence (PDF) of the deal through a notification given by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission announcing an early termination of the standard waiting period for corporate mergers to allow the transaction to proceed. Mashable and ReadWriteWeb are also confirming that they have heard about the acquisition from their sources. Article Link: Apple Purchases iPhone 'Personal Assistant' Company Siri
	0

Apr 28, 2010, 12:09 PM	#2
ReallyOldGuy macrumors regular Join Date: Jan 2010	This is an awesome app and has incredible potential. Apple could do well with this __________________ If Steve built it, I own it....if he ever intended to build it, i'll buy it....
	0

Apr 28, 2010, 12:12 PM	#3
harodude macrumors regular Join Date: May 2007	It could really help in hands free navigation, etc __________________ 17" Uni, 3.06 GHz, 4 GB RAM, 500/7200, AG ; G5/DP 2.5/5.5 GB RAM ; iPhone 3G S⃣ 16GB Black Just an average day..
	0

Apr 28, 2010, 12:15 PM	#8
gusnyc macrumors regular Join Date: Sep 2007	Steve listens. Steve, thanks for reading my thread on February 5th (third paragraph). http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=860404 Last edited by gusnyc; Apr 28, 2010 at 12:40 PM.
	0

Apr 28, 2010, 12:17 PM	#10
ChazUK macrumors 601 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Essex (UK)	The app isn't available in the UK store sadly. I would like to have tried it out! __________________ Media Player: 5th Gen iPod Touch 32GB Phones: LG Nexus 4 16GB \| Apple iPhone 4 8GB \| Nokia Lumia 620 Tablets: Apple iPad2 3G 16GB \| Apple iPad Mini 16GB \| Archos 80 Titanium 8GB
	0

Apr 28, 2010, 12:12 PM	#4
rtabdo Banned Join Date: Jan 2010	This is pretty sweet! Very intersting!
	0

Apr 28, 2010, 12:13 PM	#5
Azmontana macrumors regular Join Date: May 2008	Looks too good to be true!
	0

Apr 28, 2010, 12:13 PM	#6
JDee macrumors 6502 Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Ireland	Apple could implement this well into their 3G S voice feature.
	0

Apr 28, 2010, 12:15 PM	#7
-wiseguy- macrumors newbie Join Date: Jun 2009	that's amazing ... it can even interpret when you are drunk hahaha!
	0

Apr 28, 2010, 12:17 PM	#11
EstrlM3 macrumors 6502 Join Date: Apr 2010	wow very awesome
	0

Apr 28, 2010, 12:21 PM	#13
G58 Banned Join Date: Mar 2008	Apple Purchases iPhone 'Personal Assistant' Company Siri "Take me drunk I'm home"!! Oh yeah, been there done that. Now all I need is an app that says: "Taxi for Dr G immediately"!
	0

Apr 28, 2010, 12:24 PM	#14
Pechente macrumors member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Germany / Niedersachsen / Großburgwedel	Just saw this video yesterday. I hope Apple is gonna leave the app in the store until they implemented it into the iPhone OS.
	0

Apr 28, 2010, 12:25 PM	#15
apttap macrumors member Join Date: Apr 2010	Smart buy! Make it native to compete with android. __________________ \| iOS / Web Dev \| http://www.apttap.com \| follow me on twitter \|
	0

Apr 28, 2010, 12:29 PM	#18
jtara macrumors 65816 Join Date: Mar 2009	Huh? Yet another "find stuff nearby" and "book me a..." app? Why? There weren't enough already? And now Apple needs to have their own built-in? Sorry to go against the grain here. But I just don't get it.
	0

Apr 28, 2010, 12:32 PM	#19
csixty4 macrumors member Join Date: Apr 2010	I guess that means the Blackberry version is never coming
	0

Apr 28, 2010, 12:33 PM	#20
superspiffy macrumors 6502a Join Date: Feb 2007	Does this mean we'll finally have iCal integrated To-Dos? __________________ iPhone 4S 64 GB AT&T (black) / MacBook Air 2011 1.8Ghz i7, 4GB RAM, 256 SSD / Apple Thunderbolt Display / Apple Wireless Keyboard / Apple Magic Mouse
	0

Apr 28, 2010, 12:34 PM	#21
D0rk macrumors member Join Date: May 2009	Man, Apple is like Pacman, just gobbling up companies. It will be interesting to see what they use this technology for.
	0

Apr 28, 2010, 12:37 PM	#25
mcmlxix macrumors 6502a Join Date: Mar 2009	Does it have a feature to tell you that you might be getting too drunk and subsequently misplace the phone?
	0

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