Apple Working on 'Enhanced Siri' Capabilities for Next-Generation iPhones

[PaulRustad007]

Both Alexi and Siri cannot process this statement: "Define the word woodshedding." Google does great. The Ladies, not so much. Alexi has a better sense of humor, though. Siri is a bit rigid, sort of like a housewife from the 50's when you do not use the right fork for dinner.

 

[Bigsk8r]

Must we buy new Mac hardware as well to get this "enhanced" Siri?

Hopefully there is enough "new" mac hardware when this rolls out to actually use it on, if it isn't backward compatible.

 

[AppleMad98004]

Ah so wait? iPhone 7 will not benefit from those? Sounds strange especially that the AI i server based and not running on your device.

But Apple's marketing machine will say this is an incredible new feature for the iPhone 8

 

[NufSaid]

I am not wanting a robot to tell me jokes but I can't wait to see what they do with Siri.

I am already using it extensively. I hardly type a text and when I am at home I use it for all kinds of functions on the Mac. Usually gets everything right except that document I was dictating for my daughter that I sent to her teacher.

Amazing what Siri can hear when you say BUCKET.

 

[DUIduckSAUCE]

Ah so wait? iPhone 7 will not benefit from those? Sounds strange especially that the AI i server based and not running on your device.

It requires the new and improved chip, that only the 7s and 7s plus will have.
[doublepost=1485280402][/doublepost]

So folks with phones older than the iPhone 8 will be left out? ):

No, It will work on 7s and 7s plus.

 

[BruceEBonus]

I watched that Billionaire Hippy Steve Jobs Netflix programme last night and it brought home why Apple rose to where they did - from nowhere.

It reminded me why I moved from Windows to Mac OS 6 years ago and why things were so exciting as Microsoft was so clunky, dated and positively boring in comparison. Almost every few months true innovations were being rolled out on a regular basis. Each launch really was a true event. And then.

After Jobs sadly passed away all there was left was the residue of those glory years. Something had to be rolled out to dispel rumours of such and a Watch, a Pen and a Dustbin (iMac Pro) along with a selection of new colours and resizes of the old stuff would be peddled. Siri was in its time and during the Jobs era a genuine innovation at the time but still a beta.
Since that time .... Still a Beta. 'Nuff said.

In that same programme the consensus confirmed what many on here already know. Complacency and laurel resting is the fomula to let in the competition. If Samsung get lazy as well with their upcoming S8 (which apparently has had a delayed release date) - Apple will be safe. If not. Who knows. And who'dve thought after the cock up last year with the Note7 that the future would be hinging not on a new iPhone. But on a Samsung product instead.

 

[nazaar]

I have nothing positive to say about Siri. My thoughts are what has Apple done with Novauris Technologies and VocalIQ, both acquired by Apple and both in the speech tech sector?

 

[Aston441]

error please delete

 

[campyguy]

Perhaps there will be some kind of limited offline Siri , integrated into the a11 soc and better mics in the 2017 iphone. Some kind of buffer on the iPhone itself that processes/simplifies input before going to the web/cloud based servers.

SoC = Siri on a Chip

Couldn't resist…

 

[SeattleMoose]

Gave up long ago....50% success rate is not acceptable. Need to get usability/accuracy rate up to 90%.

 

[Soccertess]

I hope one of the things they improve is the voice it self. Cortana sounds really natural, why can't Siri?

I don't find Cortana's search abilities that useful, but I agree on the voice. I really like google now, just blows Siri out of the water in many aspects.

 

[bbbb4b]

Too little, too late.

 

[9081094]

Competition is always good for us consumers.

What competition? As far as I can see they all blow Siri out of the water despite Siri had an headstart at Apple. I'm afraid the focus will soon turn to Apple Campus 2. Lots of blah blah from Ive and Tim about how great an innovative the new Campus is. I hope they'll proof I'm wrong and turn back the focus on the products that actually made all this possible.

Come on Apple why are you alienating your customers? With minimal efforts you could keep your products up to date to today's technology standards. How long will you keep milking obsolete technology? Even in fashion you've to renew your fashion lines. It hurts seeing you ruining a strong brand.

Oh well... Tim is like Siri, lots of talk and no understanding

 

[Apple 26.2]

...last year it was reported that Amazon is working on an updated Echo with a 7-inch touchscreen to "fend off competition" from Apple and Google Home.

Hold on tight, kids... it's gonna git messy!

 

[Juicy Box]

I've found Siri to be better every time I do try it. I just asked my watch last night, "What is 31$ plus a 15% tip" and I was absolutely delighted by the fact Siri heard me perfectly, the response time was much faster than I remember, AND the query worked, it gave the correct answer and it was useful.

I wish Siri was as effective for things I try to use it for.

Not too long ago I remember thinking that when Siri actually worked, it was like magic. Sadly, I find it to be much more memorable when Siri does not work.

I remember one night about a year ago, I was driving in a somewhat-unfamiliar area and I needed to get fuel for my car. I used Siri to direct me to the nearest station. It end up being closed down. I asked to find the next closest station, which Siri told me that the closed down one was the only one close by. Which I knew was not true. I tried this repeatedly while driving away, hoping that Siri would find a different one.

I made it to a station about 10 miles away from the closed down one. While my Fuel was pumping, I tried Siri again, just to see the results, sure enough, it directed me to the closed down station, 10 miles away.

I know this is just one event, but I have a huge list other examples with all sorts of different scenarios where Siri didn't work.

 

[Larryzuluking]

Ah so wait? iPhone 7 will not benefit from those? Sounds strange especially that the AI i server based and not running on your device.

No...Actually.... this is the best news I've heard so far. In fact.... this is some real game changing news, if it is what I think it is. If this new enhanced Siri, is based on new hardware, then this may mean that Apple may have figured out one of the hardest parts of getting real top level AI into a smartphone. The big new thing in AI research is to get real AI to run on a custom Mobile graphics chip. This is so that we can get AI that's as smart as what companies show off in there labs, not the watered down versions we get coming from servers.

The most powerful AI systems, are hardware based (Graphic Cards), not server based. Apple has been working on there own in house Mobile Graphics cards for some time now (after hiring away most of the top talent at Imagination), and there new AI team lead by Ruslan Salakhutdinov (one of the biggest AI researchers in the Industry) has been going on and on about real AI Neural Nets running on mobile chips.

Apple is in the best position for this technology. The iPhone 8 could possable be its reveal. If so...

 

[nviz22]

I hope this isn't the case of Apple not having enough features so they need to make stuff next gen exclusive. "Hey Siri" without being charge isn't on some 1GB of RAM devices yet Android devices can do Ok Google in the same capacity as "Hey Siri."

 

[Gorms]

Siri remained largely unchanged over the past few iOS updates

Im not sure about that bit. we did get SiriKit in iOS10. It's a little (lot) limited in the scope of apps that can work with it, but it's clearly the groundwork for opening Siri up fully for developers. Most likely in iOS11.

 

[Heisenberg888]

Let's face it Siri sucks.

 

[hagar]

Apple can already start by addressing these embarrassing Siri Failures:
https://www.reddit.com/r/SiriFail/

 

[oneMadRssn]

I hope Apple does something to address the privacy and security concerns of having an always-on mic. Amazon Echo and Google Home and the like seems fairly useful, but the thought of having an always-listening software and microphone makes be very uncomfortable.

 

[kdarling]

I hope Apple does something to address the privacy and security concerns of having an always-on mic. Amazon Echo and Google Home and the like seems fairly useful, but the thought of having an always-listening software and microphone makes be very uncomfortable.

As you well know, nothing goes anywhere until you enable them by speaking their particular local wakeup phrase.

That said, I can visualize a future where everything IS listened to, so that the device can keep context. For example, you could suddenly ask the air, "Hey Jeeves, what did my wife tell me to do this morning?" and other intelligent assistant duties.

Hmm. It could be that everyone actually needs what we used to think we'd have back in the 1960s concept of the future: a secure personal house computer bolted down in the basement, where all our data resided, and only accessible by its owners. Nothing stored out in the cloud, unless perhaps it's heavily encrypted for backup purposes.

 

[oneMadRssn]

As you well know, nothing goes anywhere until you enable them by speaking their particular local wakeup phrase.

That said, I can visualize a future where everything IS listened to, so that the device can keep context. For example, you could suddenly ask the air, "Hey Jeeves, what did my wife tell me to do this morning?" and other intelligent assistant duties.

Hmm. It could be that everyone actually needs what we used to think we'd have back in the 1960s concept of the future: a secure personal house computer bolted down in the basement, where all our data resided, and only accessible by its owners. Nothing stored out in the cloud, unless perhaps it's heavily encrypted for backup purposes.

http://thefreethoughtproject.com/amazon-echo-saves-voice-data-police/

You're right that they only record after being triggered by the magic word, but it can be accidentally triggered by other things too, which is what the police are hoping for in this case.

Also, I would not put it past companies like Amazon and Google to also listen-in on other stuff. One day you say "Man I wish my TV wasn't so small" and suddenly Amazon/Google are serving you ads for new TVs.

 

[nofear1az]

Siri to me just has not been that great to me in my past uses, it usually did web searches after long pauses and when I tell it to call Erin it searches for Aaron unlike on Android it actually calls Erin on the first try. I've tried saying it in so many different ways but gave up.

I think what would piss me off the most is if Apple does upgrade Siri and then only offers this "enhanced" Siri to the latest iPhone 8 users leaving everyone else behind. That would be a real 9ick move. But can't fault them for something that isn't released yet under an assumption.

 

[Quu]

Honestly if they don't back-port this to the iPhone 7, 6S etc I'll be majorly pissed and might never buy another iPhone and I'm serious.

There is absolutely no reason on this earth an "enhanced siri" cannot be put on our older iPhones. We have the dual mics and processing power.