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Last month, we reported on Evi, an app from True Knowledge that offered some of the same features as Apple's Siri. While Evi lacks the system-level integration of Siri on the iPhone 4S, it does offer greater information content and expanded device compatibility.

evi_screenshots.jpg



TechCrunch reported yesterday that Apple has now contacted True Knowledge with the suggestion that it will soon remove Evi from the App Store for duplicating Siri's functionality and confusing customers.
On Friday evening True Knowledge had a call from Apple representative Richard Chipman. (If you Google Richard Chipman's name you'll find he is also the Apple rep that does the controversial calls about apps).

He told True Knowledge that Apple was "going to pull Evi from the appstore" as it was similar to Siri.

The rule being cited is number 8.3 in the App [Store] T&Cs" "Apps which appear confusingly similar to an existing Apple product or advertising theme will be rejected".
The publicity has caused a spike in Evi's sales rank as users have sought to purchase the app before it disappears, but The Verge now reports that Apple is not planning on removing the app from the App Store. Instead, Apple is said to be "working with" its developers to reduce potential confusion with Siri.
Despite what True Knowledge told TechCrunch, the app remains in the App Store, and according to sources familiar with the matter, Apple is attempting to work with the developers on bumping out those similarities, rather than just pulling the product. It's apparently standard practice these days for Apple to flag something that could be confusing to end users and then try to work with developers to alter the appearance and / or functionality of the app, and we're told that's taking place with True Knowledge right now.
It remains to be seen just what changes to Evi will come out of these discussions between Apple and True Knowledge, but it seems clear that Apple is concerned about Evi's parallels to Siri.

Article Link: Apple 'Working With' True Knowledge to Address Concerns Over Evi's Similarities to Siri
 

Caliber26

macrumors 68020
Sep 25, 2009
2,325
3,637
Orlando, FL
HUH???

So are they going to remove all the other calculator, weather, texting, note-taking, and mail apps from the AppStore because they're "confusingly similar" to the native ones?
 

T-Will

macrumors 65816
Sep 8, 2008
1,042
433
Dear Mr. Chipman,

Please explain how Evi's functionality is confusingly similar to any app on the iPhone 4/3GS/3G/etc.

Sincerely,
T. Will
 

macmastersam

macrumors 6502a
Sep 14, 2011
515
0
Essex, england
someone is iJealous because of this app....
i really dont want to see this go, as this is a great alternative for 3GS users like me who like to use something like siri, but don't want to spend at least $500 on a phone just for siri
 
Last edited:

nickgri

macrumors member
May 9, 2011
95
0
Evi

[url=http://cdn.macrumors.com/im/macrumorsthreadlogodarkd.png]Image[/url]


Last month, we reported on Evi, an app from True Knowledge that offered some of the same features as Apple's Siri. While Evi lacks the system-level integration of Siri on the iPhone 4S, it does offer greater information content and expanded device compatibility.

Image


TechCrunch reported yesterday that Apple has now contacted True Knowledge with the suggestion that it will soon remove Evi from the App Store for duplicating Siri's functionality and confusing customers.The publicity has caused a spike in Evi's sales rank as users have sought to purchase the app before it disappears, but The Verge now reports that Apple is not planning on removing the app from the App Store. Instead, Apple is said to be "working with" its developers to reduce potential confusion with Siri.It remains to be seen just what changes to Evi will come out of these discussions between Apple and True Knowledge, but it seems clear that Apple is concerned about Evi's parallels to Siri.

Article Link: Apple 'Working With' True Knowledge to Address Concerns Over Evi's Similarities to Siri
Well Apple-BUY them out and integrate it into Siri-if it is better and offers more functionality why not-you have the cash!
 

apolloa

Suspended
Oct 21, 2008
12,318
7,802
Time, because it rules EVERYTHING!
Well, I think it's safe to say Apple will either buy the company to use it's tech or just steal it. Because anything to improve Siri is a good thing from what I've seen! It's about right a little known company can do it better then a multi national multi billion dollar company more interested in litigation then innovation.
 

Yujenisis

macrumors 6502
May 30, 2002
309
115
I am glad they are at least working with the developer to address the similarities rather than just pulling the App like they have in the past with other Apps found in violation of their terms.

This seems to be an improvement in Apple's approach to App Store developers.
 

Analog Kid

macrumors G3
Mar 4, 2003
8,810
11,263
I haven't found either Siri or Evi to be terribly useful for anything other than parlor tricks... It's not sufficiently voice interactive to use in the car, and if my hands are free it's faster to type.
 

CAO 303

macrumors member
Oct 25, 2011
40
23
NHV CT
The only similarity I've found is that neither Siri nor Evi are particularly useful. Siri can't tell me where the nearest library is (it's across the street), and Evi's servers are too clogged to give me any answer at all.
 

Jaredly

macrumors member
Jan 28, 2010
66
0
Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; CPU iPhone OS 5_0_1 like Mac OS X) AppleWebKit/534.46 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.1 Mobile/9A405 Safari/7534.48.3)

j2-core said:
Is any body else getting sick of Apple calling us stupid? We do buy their products.

Well I would be pissed but there are a lot of people that buy iPhone that don't know how to use them and can get confused by many things that tech savy people would consider elementary. Take samsungs commercial for instance.
 

spazzcat

macrumors 68040
Jun 29, 2007
3,620
4,592
I haven't found either Siri or Evi to be terribly useful for anything other than parlor tricks... It's not sufficiently voice interactive to use in the car, and if my hands are free it's faster to type.

I find it useful and use it serveral times a week without issue. It messes up everytime I try to do a trick with it, so I don't bother anymore.
 

WillFisher

macrumors 6502
Feb 19, 2011
387
16
Siri will always be 'better' because its built into the os, whereas Evi is separate.
The only reason I got Evi was that I have a 3GS, and I don't want a 4S because I'm in the UK and it still hasn't got businesses and therefore nothing todo with maps or shops etc.
 

feszty

macrumors member
May 26, 2009
34
0
Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; CPU iPhone OS 5_0 like Mac OS X) AppleWebKit/534.46 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.1 Mobile/9A334 Safari/7534.48.3)

This is just bad. A voice based assistant inherently can't be that different from one another. You talk to it and it talks back. What can be done to reduce this similarity? No much. Maybe Apple will force them to use a funny accent, or something like that.
 

jmnikricket

macrumors member
Jun 6, 2008
92
0
Evidently, Evi doesn't know the difference between cals and Cals (kcals). But what's a factor of 1000 between computer AIs? ;)
 

peteullo

macrumors regular
Dec 13, 2009
245
57
Scranton, PA
Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; CPU iPhone OS 5_0_1 like Mac OS X) AppleWebKit/534.46 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.1 Mobile/9A405 Safari/7534.48.3)

Working with = negotiating a buy out.
 

Winni

macrumors 68040
Oct 15, 2008
3,207
1,196
Germany.
HUH???

So are they going to remove all the other calculator, weather, texting, note-taking, and mail apps from the AppStore because they're "confusingly similar" to the native ones?

One of the many reasons NOT to write software for Apple's iOS platform. On the long run, it's suicidal to tie your own company's fate to a target platform that only has ONE distribution channel and that is run by a company with Apple's arrogant attitude. Apple just doesn't play well with others and is afraid of any competition - but that fear never kept Apple from ripping off other developers' ideas and afterwards selling its rip-offs as "revolutionary" new features. It's both pathetic and disgusting.
 

DanteMann

macrumors 6502
May 23, 2011
453
0
WOW! If you can't see this as how shameless Apple is when it comes to getting rid of the competition, then you gotta be the biggest blind loyalist around. They go on an endless rant about Samsung, yet use their parts. They take apps off the app store that for the sole reason of putting it on a newer device and nothing older. Then they call Android fragmented and that you have to keep upgrading if you want the newest OS or apps. Apple is without a doubt afraid of competition. They know the market is moving faster than they ever would, so the only way to catch up or slow down the market is sue or remove the competition. They know they're the type of company that rely heavily on blind followers, who will never question their choices. They can come out with a 2 inch display on the next iPhone, and it's guaranteed the blind followers will buy it with complete joy. What a joke.
 

Winni

macrumors 68040
Oct 15, 2008
3,207
1,196
Germany.
Dear Mr. Chipman,

Please explain how Evi's functionality is confusingly similar to any app on the iPhone 4/3GS/3G/etc.

Sincerely,
T. Will

Well, that's the point. Siri is the only interesting new feature that the iPhone 4S has, so they want everybody to dump their old iOS gadgets and buy the 4S. If somebody now comes and provides the 4S's "exclusive" features for the older models, you no longer have a reason to upgrade. And they cannot let that happen.

My advice: Dump Apple's iOS gadgets and buy an Android product instead. Android is a free market and the platform is not owned by a bully. And the latest Android products are better than Apple's stuff anyway.
 
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