No, but the technology was. Siri (the company) was a spin-off from SRI International.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SRI_International
http://readwrite.com/2008/10/13/semantic_stealth_startup_siric
The interface looks like a copy of Siri. But the voice recognition, voicing, and the ability to interact with users seems superior to Siri leading me to think they have been developing it long before Siri. If they are suing based on the backend technology, Apple is in trouble.
This is amazing! The Chinese tend to be the most blatant copyright breakers themselves and yet they have the guts to sue others. I wish all the automotive companies sued them for copying designs. That would've been an interesting day.
The look and behavior in that video is so exactly like Siri, there are really only two possibilities:
1) Apple stole it outright from Zhi Zhen.
2) Zhi Zhen patented the basic concept in 2004, but stole the current look and feel from Apple once Siri shipped.
Let's not lose sight of the fact that Apple actually bought Siri. Remember, there was an app on the App store named Siri, and Apple bought the company.
The look and behavior in that video is so exactly like Siri, there are really only two possibilities:
1) Apple stole it outright from Zhi Zhen.
2) Zhi Zhen patented the basic concept in 2004, but stole the current look and feel from Apple once Siri shipped.
The discovery process should be interesting!
(P.S., my money is on #2 above)
Definitely #2. The android version looks closer to Siri most likely because they changed it after seeing Siri (And android process updates the moment you submit), yet the iOS update has to go through the review process (And Apple wouldn't approve a siri clone.)The look and behavior in that video is so exactly like Siri, there are really only two possibilities:
1) Apple stole it outright from Zhi Zhen.
2) Zhi Zhen patented the basic concept in 2004, but stole the current look and feel from Apple once Siri shipped.
The discovery process should be interesting!
(P.S., my money is on #2 above)
Exactly but this company actually copied the look of Siri. It's all fine and dandy that they thought of this and patented it before Apple but then they actually copied Apple's Siri UI. It's blame on both parts.
Wait, wait, wait. So if these guys are saying they first started the "siri" idea, what about ELIZA from 1966? That, I think, is earlier than 2003.
With FOXCONN posting record profits from Apple business I don't think they will be too worried.
BMW sued a Chinese car manufacture who made a BMW X5 rip off and lost.
Can you actually tell the difference between the two lol?
Chinese X5 (Left)
BMW X5 (Right)
This is laughable for sure. China has full fledged illegal Apple stores all over the place and laptops with a Peach symbol on the back screens like Apple Macbooks.
This is unreal.
China steals everything from everyone. I hope Apple destroys them in court.
all modern cars look similar, not just those
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it's a Chinese company against Apple, not China against Apple
Some strange points of view in this thread!
So its not OK for a Chinese company to sue Apple over patent infringement when their patent was granted in 2006 and Siri started in 2007, but it is OK for Apple to sue a polish grocery store for using this logo below.
[url=http://www5.pcmag.com/media/images/357858-a-pl-logo.jpg?thumb=y]Image[/URL]
The mind boggles!
Wait, China recognizes patent/copyright laws? Since when?
Did this really happen? Because it would be disgusting.
Some strange points of view in this thread!
So its not OK for a Chinese company to sue Apple over patent infringement when their patent was granted in 2006 and Siri started in 2007, but it is OK for Apple to sue a polish grocery store for using this logo below.
[url=http://www5.pcmag.com/media/images/357858-a-pl-logo.jpg?thumb=y]Image[/URL]
The mind boggles!
Get over yourselves. Sometimes other companies invent good things before Apple. If they build a Siri-like thing first, they deserve their rewards just as if Apple built some feature first and someone copies them later. Why is the patent system stupid & outdated when it works against Apple but celebrated when it works for Apple?