Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Duplex looks incredible.

Meanwhile, I can't use Siri to call my relatives because of our semi-difficult to pronounce last name. Ironically, Siri recognized it pre-iOS11. It also worked with voice recognition, pre-Siri.

At this point Apple should allow the option to specify which apps we want to be default. If they did, I'd immediately make Google Maps and Google Assistant default. Imagine activating Siri and getting Google Assistant instead....now that'd be magic.
 
Apple is about making technology more personal for the end user.

Nothing about what google has announced sounds in the least bit personal, much less like it would have been approved by Apple ever.

It feels creepy even. Having AI simulate a person’s voice? Maybe it’s not a bad thing that Apple doesn’t go down that route.

But if they did it would suddenly be a great idea.
 
When you think about it, businesses have been doing that for some while. A company’s phone receptionist has been replaced with a recorded assistant. When you chat with online reps you’re usually interacting with a bot. None of which are as efficient as a competent human but are superior to the unskilled/uninformed ones.

Yep. Whether people like it or not, whether they know it or not, most people are already interacting with AIs. And this trend is only going to continue. Having some of your interactions with the online world via an assistant actually removes the illusion.
 
  • Like
Reactions: jerryk
Yep. Whether people like it or not, whether they know it or not, most people are already interacting with AIs. And this trend is only going to continue. Having some of your interactions with the online world via an assistant actually removes the illusion.

Boy you said it. I use my echos (we have 5 or 6) to control lights and HVAC, play music in various rooms, keep track on various lists, and order things from those lists, order the occasional latte, and set reminders to go to meetings, check on dinner, etc. The key to this is the low price of the Echo often $29. And with Bluetooth, even a $29 echo sounds good enough.
 
  • Like
Reactions: jeremiah256
Apple having access to enormous resources still can't manage to make Siri smarter. It's like Google Assistant, Alexa and Cortana manage to graduate to the senior class, while Siri needs to stay back in kindergarten.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Regime2008
But if they did it would suddenly be a great idea.
It’s more that I trust Apple to implement it in a manner that is socially acceptable and not creepy. They would have thought through the possible ramifications and put in place the proper countermeasures.

At the end of the day, I don’t think either side is wrong. Each company has their own beliefs and principles and they are each working towards their respective strengths (while avoiding the areas they are weak in). Google simply strikes me as a company who has the scale to make services and AI work, but I find that their design sometimes lacks that warmth and “common sense” that I have come to appreciate in the design of my Apple profits.
 
Anyone who thinks Google Assistant isn't useful or relevant simply hasn't used it because they haven't bothered looking at any platform other than Apple/iOS lately.

The Google Assistant is the main reason I am on Android and not on iPhone. The biggest feature the iPhone has that's appealing to me? iMessage. But to be frank, the Assistant is far, far, far more useful than some blue bubbles for people I can simply contact via a different messaging service.

At first it may seem strange, obnoxious or uncouth, but with time I am talking to my phone, my Google Homes & my car (via Android Auto) constantly. It means I actually touch my phone less and less and less, which is a fantastic thing. I probably use Google Assistant dozens of times a day. It wakes me up in the morning (because I told it to last night), it turns my lights on, it plays Spotify thorughout the entire house for me (via other Google Homes & Chromecasts connected to bookshelf speakers all linked in a network), it gives me the weather & how long it'll take me to get to work. Once I get in the car, I plug my phone in, say "OK Google, get me to work" and it navigates. If it tells me there's traffic, I say, "OK Google, reroute with tolls" and it'll give me the toll road route. Using it with Android Auto & Google Maps is a whole other thing. It will find me the cheapest gas near me, navigate me to my favourite locations (which I have labelled, so if I want to visit my friend's place I can simply say "OK Google, get me to David & Anne's". It'll remind me to pick up milk & eggs when I next visit to the grocery store. Anything else I've saved in my shopping list by instructing my phone or my Google Homes "add X to my shopping list." It'll even tell me if that grocery store is crazy busy and maybe I should visit another time.

It's also linked to my Ecobee thermostat so when I leave, I can say "OK Google, I'm heading out" and it will automatically set my temperature for an away setting.

I don't have a connected garage opener or anything like that but I can easily imagine in a few years time "OK Google, get my car ready" will be a thing. The garage door will open, the car will turn on and it'll start pre-heating itself in the winter.

Everything is becoming connected in the Internet of Things. Without voice control and AI, it will become too convoluted to utilize. Quite simply, AI is without a doubt the future. And voice is one of the main manners in which we will be interacting with tech moving forward. If Apple doesn't get on the train now, they are simply done for.
 
Siri works fine. It's not nearly as impressive, but it works for what it's meant for, and it can do everything you really need. Also, it works with more languages, doesn't it?

You know what doesn't work? Pretty much everything else in iOS 11.
A iPhone 4 can do everything you really need on a phone. Do you have an iPhone 4?

I don't get it. People here say removing ports such as the 3.5mm headphone Jack is such a big step into the future but AI is not...its a fad. I can't even begin to understand that point of view.
 
I keep seeing creepy used and I think it would be more fair if we confirmed we were all talking about the same thing. Here's the Google Assistant phone call portion (starts at 1:55:30, ends around 1:57:27):


I wouldn't call it creepy. I would say it's shocking. I'd understand scary with regard to the implications. But, creepy has connotations that I feel are unfair.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Delgibbons
When Siri responds, there is no doubt that I am talking to a computer program.

What google is doing here is making the AI voice virtually indistinguishable from a real human being. I can’t see this ending well.

I guess this is where Apple and google diverge. Apple is about the intersection between arts and tech. Google is simply about pure technological advancement. Consequences be darned.

And I am not saying this simply because this is an area Apple likely will (and can) never do. Both for technical and ethical reasons.

I'll just say that siri isn't that natural not because Apple don't want to, but apparently because they have been unable to do it. A natural speaking assistant would skyrocket its usage.

Seriously would you rather talk to a robotic voice all day long? It's super anoying.

"D-O___Y-O-U___W-A-N-T___M-E ___T-O___C-R-E-A-T-E ___A ___N-E-W___A-P-P-O-I-N-T-M-E-N-T___F-O-R___Y-O-U?"
 
Last edited:
Apple honestly needs to can Siri and reinvent it. Similar to how they canned mobile Me and introduced iCloud.. Google assistant is literally the only thing android has over iPhone.
Now granted. It’s going to take 2 years for all androids to even get this functionality that they introduced today... so Apple has 2 years to catch up lol


I’ve said this before. Whenever Apple does put out a true competitor to Alexa and Google Assitant, it may have to be rebranded. Siri should die.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Wide opeN
I'll see when the time comes, but I am confident Apple will bring something to the table when the time is right. I am really in no rush when it comes to this stuff, plus I think privacy is a huge deal. I am good with Apple taking it's time in this area. I currently use HomeKit for smart home automation and it has been the best platform for that.

I haven’t tried other home automation platforms yet, but I’m quite disappointed with the actual automation capabilities of HomeKit. I have an Elgato Eve Door & Window sensor and while I can trigger some automations with events triggered by opening or closing the window, the list of events is quite restricted. I’d like to set a timer that reminds me to close the window after a certain time of being open or alert me if it’s open when I’m about to leave. But no, that doesn’t seem to be possible right now. It’s sad if that’s the best there is right now and I don’t think that’s the case.
 
The truly sad part is apple thought of all this stuff Google is doing in the 80's.
Even QuickTime VR was out way before Google maps. Apple seem to fail in the software side of things more often than not. Mind you, the hardware sometimes is a real failure in usability too (see regularly plugging in USB devices into a 27 in iMac).
 
It’s more that I trust Apple to implement it in a manner that is socially acceptable and not creepy. They would have thought through the possible ramifications and put in place the proper countermeasures.

At the end of the day, I don’t think either side is wrong. Each company has their own beliefs and principles and they are each working towards their respective strengths (while avoiding the areas they are weak in). Google simply strikes me as a company who has the scale to make services and AI work, but I find that their design sometimes lacks that warmth and “common sense” that I have come to appreciate in the design of my Apple profits.

How do you think Apple would implement that's more socially acceptable and not creepy? In what ways would it be different from Google's implementation say for booking the examples haircut appointment and restaurant reservation? Can you deconstruct how the examples that Google provided lacks warmth and "common sense"? How do you define warmth? How do you define "common sense" for an AI communicating with a human being?
 
That's fair, all comes down to the individual, but it's just not reason enough (not even close) for me to switch platforms. Also, you can do this today with Siri and OpenTable. I think you may just need to press a button to confirm. Obviously, not exactly the same, but I just don't see what Google is doing here as some crazy advancement.

Did you listen to the calls Assistant made? It’s nothing like Siri and OpenTable. Not remotely close. Assistant manages to have a basic conversation, understand pauses, repeats information when asked, etc. Nothing Apple offers or has demonstrated comes close. I haven’t been impressed by any tech company in recent years. Lots of iteration and evolution, but what Google demonstrated with Assistant today was revolutionary.
 
It’s more that I trust Apple to implement it in a manner that is socially acceptable and not creepy. They would have thought through the possible ramifications and put in place the proper countermeasures.

At the end of the day, I don’t think either side is wrong. Each company has their own beliefs and principles and they are each working towards their respective strengths (while avoiding the areas they are weak in). Google simply strikes me as a company who has the scale to make services and AI work, but I find that their design sometimes lacks that warmth and “common sense” that I have come to appreciate in the design of my Apple profits.

Profits? Was that a Freudian slip?
[doublepost=1525850154][/doublepost]
How do you think Apple would implement that's more socially acceptable and not creepy? In what ways would it be different from Google's implementation say for booking the examples haircut appointment and restaurant reservation? Can you deconstruct how the examples that Google provided lacks warmth and "common sense"? How do you define warmth? How do you define "common sense" for an AI communicating with a human being?

It’s defined as warmth and common sense = Apple and creepy = Google. Doesn’t matter what’s being discussed. As soon as Siri can do the same thing, what is creepy for Google will suddenly be warm and filled with common sense...because Apple.
[doublepost=1525850326][/doublepost]
A iPhone 4 can do everything you really need on a phone. Do you have an iPhone 4?

I don't get it. People here say removing ports such as the 3.5mm headphone Jack is such a big step into the future but AI is not...its a fad. I can't even begin to understand that point of view.

It’s called the Fanboy point of view. Nothing about it is logical or makes sense. Bottom line, Apple is failing miserably at the innovation game and Apple fans are in full on denial/defense mode.
 
I'll just say that siri isn't that natural not because Apple don't want to, but apparently because they have been unable to do it. A natural speaking assistant would skyrocket its usage.

Seriously would you rather talk to a robotic voice all day long? It's super anoying.

"D-O___Y-O-U___W-A-N-T___M-E ___T-O___C-R-E-A-T-E ___A ___N-E-W___A-P-P-O-I-N-T-M-E-N-T___F-O-R___Y-O-U?"
How the assistant sounds doesn’t really factor into how often I use my voice assistants.

Though I suppose it’s a moot point given how Siri is the default on iOS.
 
Scary to think of the things it could be doing on your behalf completely on it's own using your phone number. If the person on the other end tried to validate your identity with the AI the AI already knows all of the answers. We're totally screwed. Skynet has been launched.
 
The google assistant appointment demos were seriously some of the most impressive demos I have seen in a while. A little creepy how realistic it handed the conversation.
Really impressive! Siri is so far behind.

I did a voice test on both google and siri. I left our bikes locked up outside the shops and my son (5) asked if Santa can bring them home so the robbers don't get them. Amusing how the text ended up on each. Google perfect, Siri, not so.

Original: Santa, please bring our bikes home so the robbers don't get them

Google: Santa, please bring our bikes home so the robbers don't get them

Siri: Centre, please bring our boys home and throw stones at the robots

WHAT?
 
I have to say there was a genuine MIND BLOWN moment when I saw the Google Assistant making a natural conversation booking a haircut appointment or restaurant order.

If anyone hasn't seen it yet, I'd highly recommend having a look at that at least. The way it handled many scenarios and was able to understand and respond naturally is crazy and kudos to them for this engineering feat. They've truly gone to depths never seen before in developing natural conversation and interaction with an AI assistant.
 
Profits? Was that a Freudian slip?
[doublepost=1525850154][/doublepost]

It’s defined as warmth and common sense = Apple and creepy = Google. Doesn’t matter what’s being discussed. As soon as Siri can do the same thing, what is creepy for Google will suddenly be warm and filled with common sense...because Apple.
[doublepost=1525850326][/doublepost]

It’s called the Fanboy point of view. Nothing about it is logical or makes sense. Bottom line, Apple is failing miserably at the innovation game and Apple fans are in full on denial/defense mode.
I never understand why people defend features on something they have, even when poor. I have an iPhone SE, an Apple Watch. They are great. Siri though, sucks! It's awful! Compared to my Redmi 5A, the iPhone sucks! No automatic turn off the phone, turn on the phone. No football score notifications, time to travel, etc. My iPhone 4S used to do that but not anymore. Siri has become worse! The Apple Watch. Compared to my amazfit BIP Battery life sucks, HR isn't every min, no sleep tracking, etc. I am not going to defend just because I have one.
 
  • Like
Reactions: sracer
I haven’t tried other home automation platforms yet, but I’m quite disappointed with the actual automation capabilities of HomeKit. I have an Elgato Eve Door & Window sensor and while I can trigger some automations with events triggered by opening or closing the window, the list of events is quite restricted. I’d like to set a timer that reminds me to close the window after a certain time of being open or alert me if it’s open when I’m about to leave. But no, that doesn’t seem to be possible right now. It’s sad if that’s the best there is right now and I don’t think that’s the case.

Yea, there are definitely some much needed improvements to HomeKit, and I am sure they will come, but it’s the best I have found so far. I tried Amazon and Google also.
[doublepost=1525863768][/doublepost]
Did you listen to the calls Assistant made? It’s nothing like Siri and OpenTable. Not remotely close. Assistant manages to have a basic conversation, understand pauses, repeats information when asked, etc. Nothing Apple offers or has demonstrated comes close. I haven’t been impressed by any tech company in recent years. Lots of iteration and evolution, but what Google demonstrated with Assistant today was revolutionary.

Yea, I heard it. I suppose it’s impressive, although I find it a bit creepy, intrusive, and more of an example of what tech can do opposed to what will actually be used. I don’t see it picking up. Plus, the fact that it’s built by infringing on people's privacy isn’t something I stand behind. To each their own though.
 
Last edited:
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.