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Hands-On With the Siri Shortcuts Beta App in iOS 12

Sevanw said:
Apple should concentrate on developing Siri to be more competent as a digital assistant, rather than make pack of shortcuts. Sure it's great for children in elementary school to play with, but what about adults that have real productivity needs. At least Samsung takes AI seriously, and invests in it. They're already winning AI competitions. That's what happens when you wait and play the long game, rather than rush out a gimmicky thing like Siri. Bixby 2.0 should be a big leap forward. Bone crushing dominance in AI.

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Are you serious? I bought the latest Samsung devices for my kitchen and washer and dryer they can't do crap together. First the devices don't use the same smart things app. Some use home some use smart things. I asked bixby to preheat the oven it has no idea what I am talking about. And Samsungs support is terrible. I really wish I wouldn't have spent 10k with Samsung.
 
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somethingelsefl said:
Do this is basically "Automator" for the iPhone? I can't help but feel like this is a bit... uninspired.

I purchased Workflow and loved it. I really thought Apple would do something more... exciting.

IFTTT has much easier, accessible user interface with "triggers" or "calls for action" that Shortcuts lacks.

{{{For example, to turn off my ringer when I get to work and send an email to my boss stating. "In the office ready for the morning muster."}}}

SHORTCUTS
(User-generated input)
"Siri, activate morning routine!" or push the shortcut widget button. (Need to prompt 5 days a week)

IFFTTT
NO USER INPUT
--- Everytime when the phone is at the preset work location the IFTTT triggers the cascading actions---
Click to expand...

A lot of people are missing the bigger announcement: this is a new Siri framework that's infinitely scalable. It no longer relies on Apple releasing specific Siri APIs for niche app types. Any and all apps in the world's biggest App Store can integrate any of its functions with Siri. Siri itself will be using this new framework, replacing outdated and constrained frameworks that have been around since before Apple acquired Siri.

The big news isn't the app. That's just a way to control the framework manually. I agree that IFTTT is more user friendly than Shortcuts but it's also more limited, requiring developers to provide specific functions for their apps as "If" and "That" functions. In app shortcut suggestions will do that. Shortcuts, the app, is far more broad.

If this all seems very complicated, think of Shortcuts as three things that act on a new Siri framework:

- Siri machine learning watches your common tasks and suggests shortcuts
- Third party apps suggest common tasks within the app that can easily be turned into Siri commands
- Shortcuts the app, provides manual construction of Siri commands, giving you near infinite control over what Siri can do

Regular users won't ever have to open the Shortcuts app and still get a ton of use out of the new Shortcuts framework with Siri and third party apps suggesting shortcuts with one button tap.
 
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ipedro said:
A lot of people are missing the bigger announcement: this is a new Siri framework that's infinitely scalable. It no longer relies on Apple releasing specific Siri APIs for niche app types. Any and all apps in the world's biggest App Store can integrate any of its functions with Siri. Siri itself will be using this new framework, replacing outdated and constrained frameworks that have been around since before Apple acquired Siri
Click to expand...

I think this is a cop out if anything from what Siri was originally intended to be. Imagine if somehow you lose your workflow. Due to privacy, Apple needs you to provide Siri more data about you in order for it to function somewhat.

There's nothing new about this other than you providing more manual labor than normal to help Siri learn.
 
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That's really more effort than I'd like to expend on phone b.s.
[doublepost=1531203985][/doublepost]
ipponrg said:
I think this is a cop out if anything from what Siri was originally intended to be. Imagine if somehow you lose your workflow. Due to privacy, Apple needs you to provide Siri more data about you in order for it to function somewhat.

There's nothing new about this other than you providing more manual labor than normal to help Siri learn.
Click to expand...
You hit the nail on the head, this is a lazy cop-out dressed up as a feature.
 
I'm intrigued. Are people really at this level of "creatures of habit"?

I wouldn't use any of these examples more than possibly once. I have no idea when I'll leave the house, or how I get to work, bus, car, I do what I feel like. I sometimes listen to a podcast, sometimes to public radio, sometimes to Spotify, or sometimes something completely different, or maybe nothing at all and enjoy the silence (no, not Depeche). If I started mailing my boss everytime I arrive at the office as someone suggested, I can assure you, she would soon come over and smash my phone to smithereens.

Rather than these sort of silly shortcuts that you might think you need, I'd rather have some proper intelligence:
Siri: It seems you have left home, are you on your way to work?
Me: Yes
Siri: should I make sure all doors are locked and lights are turned off in your house?
Me: Yes please.
Siri: I seems like your heading for the bus, just want to let you know it will be 5 minutes delayed so no hurry.
Me: Great, thanks.
Siri: would you like some entertainment on your way?
Me: Yeah, some public radio would be nice.
Siri: Here you go.

Now, having Siri starting conversations rather than just responding to requests is something different. And before that can be achieved, it has to come to a completely new level. Otherwise it would be a totally new definition of "annoying".

But, I don't think it is too far away, at least not for Google. For Apple, well, it's a bit further away from Siri.
 
Apple seems to be step up their iOS and is nearly the same feature as Android is back in 2014!
 
In the context of home automation, this can become huge as it will allow much tighter integration of e.g. Fibaro and Homey systems in the day-to-day use of the iphone.
 
You definitely shouldn’t have to create a ‘shortcut’ to send your location to your wife. Siri should be intelligent enough to do it on it’s own. She knows nicknames of your contacts, she can send messages, I was surprised she cannot share a location.o_O I can’t imagine my parents playing with that app. I thought it will be aimed towards power users to create a really powerful actions, not to patch holes in Siri logic which Apple is lazy to do.
 
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Precisely, but the problem is for example that I cannot specify where I’d like my music to be played, or even an action to turn my Apple TV on, or other options like that… That’s what’s been lacking for me

Kaibelf said:
Every time there's ANY new feature from Apple for ANY product, someone feels the need to complain and say what Apple "should be doing instead" as if they are only capable of working on one thing, and as if everyone in the whole company has the same job. And usually those same broken records play out with lyrics about how it's "kiddie stuff" and now "real professionals" have needs that are just above everyone else. It's tired. Your demands and needs are not more important than everyone else's, and if you want priority, go work at Apple, get the CEO role, and change it.

Also, if you like Samsung so much, buy a Samsung. Seriously. What's the point of hanging out here?
[doublepost=1531187471][/doublepost]

Most of that it just existing Homekit stuff (GPS can already trigger smart devices in your home when you arrive). This is for more elaborate stuff like running a homekit command for lights/temp, texting your spouse, checking traffic, and perhaps ordering food with a single command like "I'm leaving work"
[doublepost=1531187654][/doublepost]

So you're saying the number of people who know more about proper English is increasing?
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bollman said:
I'm intrigued. Are people really at this level of "creatures of habit"?

I wouldn't use any of these examples more than possibly once. I have no idea when I'll leave the house, or how I get to work, bus, car, I do what I feel like. I sometimes listen to a podcast, sometimes to public radio, sometimes to Spotify, or sometimes something completely different, or maybe nothing at all and enjoy the silence (no, not Depeche). If I started mailing my boss everytime I arrive at the office as someone suggested, I can assure you, she would soon come over and smash my phone to smithereens.

Rather than these sort of silly shortcuts that you might think you need, I'd rather have some proper intelligence:
Siri: It seems you have left home, are you on your way to work?
Me: Yes
Siri: should I make sure all doors are locked and lights are turned off in your house?
Me: Yes please.
Siri: I seems like your heading for the bus, just want to let you know it will be 5 minutes delayed so no hurry.
Me: Great, thanks.
Siri: would you like some entertainment on your way?
Me: Yeah, some public radio would be nice.
Siri: Here you go.

Now, having Siri starting conversations rather than just responding to requests is something different. And before that can be achieved, it has to come to a completely new level. Otherwise it would be a totally new definition of "annoying".

But, I don't think it is too far away, at least not for Google. For Apple, well, it's a bit further away from Siri.
Click to expand...

I like the idea of Siri just anticipating what should be done but still confirming with the user that it’s ok to do it. There are definitely days I wouldn’t want Siri turning all the lights off when I leave home. Or slamming the garage door down.

That said, I wouldn’t want Siri starting up one of these conversations while I’m in company. That could be annoying. And who knows what she might say? :D
 
This looks very promising. I wonder how long it will take devs to implement the changes or 'shortcutability' on their own app side. This could, down the line, actually also let iOS devices work with google home - just by sending and remote controlling the Google Home app.
 
Waste of time. The more smart “features” that are added to phones, the more of a distraction they become. It’s endemic.

Look at the world around us today... count how many people are dicking around on their phones compared to how many people are just simply observing the real world. The next time you are hanging out with friends, try not to pull out your phone. Bet you can’t...
 
laszlo182 said:
You definitely shouldn’t have to create a ‘shortcut’ to send your location to your wife. Siri should be intelligent enough to do it on it’s own. She knows nicknames of your contacts, she can send messages, I was surprised she cannot share a location.o_O I can’t imagine my parents playing with that app. I thought it will be aimed towards power users to create a really powerful actions, not to patch holes in Siri logic which Apple is lazy to do.
Click to expand...

This is just one very basic example. The idea is that you can chain multiple actions together and trigger them using just a short phrase instead of an extremely long and convoluted sentence. It’s really about allowing users to personalise Siri to their own habits and preferences. So both of us could use the same trigger word, and result in vastly differing results depending on our unique use cases.
 
I keep asking people and not getting a response.

I want to be able to have shortcuts triggered / invoked by an alarm. Similar to how you can set an alarm to stop or start playing music.

This would be great. There are things that you might want to do at a certain time every day. For these, I don't need to tell siri or manually start a shortcut. My phone has a clock so I just want it to get on with it without input.

Can this be done?
 
Seems a little over complicated for the average user just like the Automator app in OS-X that few people ever used.

The macro like capabilities of these home assistance, yes Google Home and Echo already do this, are great, but the way Apple is implementing it seems too close to "programming" that will turn off most users and only appeal to the technically minded.

While I do believe Apple is implementing a far more powerful system then Google and Amazon, the trade off is that it will be too daunting for most users and thus, unused.

Since Apple is boasting about wanting to put more AI into Siri having to sit there and manually configure some elaborate macro doesn't fit with Apple's strategy for making Siri more AI aware.
 
tliede20 said:
I don't think it'll be able to do what I am dreaming it SHOULD do...

For example...

I'd love to create shortcut where upon GPS arrival to my home it executes the following:

Unlock Front Door
Turn on Lights / Fans
Turn on TV
Play Music on Living Room Homepod
Click to expand...
The only way for this to work at the moment would be to assign the above tasks to a simple phrase, such as “Hey Siri I’m home” which isn’t really a bad compromise if you have hands free Siri.
 
bobtem said:
Waste of time. The more smart “features” that are added to phones, the more of a distraction they become. It’s endemic.

Look at the world around us today... count how many people are dicking around on their phones compared to how many people are just simply observing the real world. The next time you are hanging out with friends, try not to pull out your phone. Bet you can’t...
Click to expand...
Been there, done that... technology not matter the age is the same, before was newspapers, then books, ect..
 
The only thing I don't like is how a shortcut for a text message still needs user confirmation at the end. Kind of annoying to go through the hassle of asking siri to share your location and then still having to tap "send" manually.
 
bobtem said:
Waste of time. The more smart “features” that are added to phones, the more of a distraction they become. It’s endemic.

Look at the world around us today... count how many people are dicking around on their phones compared to how many people are just simply observing the real world. The next time you are hanging out with friends, try not to pull out your phone. Bet you can’t...
Click to expand...

And what do you think those people are doing on their phones, if not also interacting with the world around them?
 
It looks like you still need to manually send the message? Is there an option to have it sent automatically? Without leaving Siri too?
 
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