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Like mentioned this is likely due to the lack of a low powered processor.

Android is the same way with Google now I believe. Except theirs doesn't work when it's plugged in. The moto x can though.

I expect the iPhone 6 with A8 to work the same way.
 
Having both a Nexus 5 (4.4.3) and iPhone 5C (8b1), the Google Now "OK Google" function isn't as useful as you might think, at least when compared to Hey Siri.

First off, the nexus can't be in sleep mode. It can't be on any other screen than the home screen. This is silly because if I'm driving in Google Maps and want to check the weather, I still have to reach to the phone, hit the home button, THEN say OK Google. I believe the Moto X does this a bit better as it's always listening.

I think apple has the right idea as I can just say hey siri when it's plugged in to the USB in my car, no matter what app I have running. Very handy.
 
Doesn't this feature only work on the Moto X which has a special low-power chip to handle this?

We could expect that future iPhones would also have something similar and remove this limitation.

nope....you can speak to Moto X when the phone is not on... the special low power chip helps that. For other devices, you need be on the home screen, then say OK Google to invoke Google Now search
 
I'm thinking more about the Home Kit application of this. Without physically touching anything you can say "Hey Siri, dim the living room lights...hey Siri, lock the front door....hey Siri, lower the thermostat two degrees." I thought it would have been done with a wireless microphone/speaker that would connect to a home network, but using the iPhone makes perfect sense. The only hiccup I see is when there are multiple iPhones around. Perhaps it will allow for a customizable "Hey, Siri" command. Hey, Skynet...
 
Just a tip- if you don't have any need for this, you should turn it off in Siri settings where it says "voice activation". It makes charging your phone take longer because the microphone is constantly listening and using up battery, and turning this feature off will speed up charging times.
 
At least only listening when plugged in cuts down on the situation where you're going to be in a crowded environment and someone else says "Hey, Siri - play me some music" and everyone's iPhone starts playing a song

Can you imagine at next year's WWDC if Tim gets on stage for his keynote and shouts out "Hey, Siri" Instant chaos!

Anyone know how the Moto X deals with this issue? I've always wondered about that since it was announced. Seems like an easy way to access someone's phone.
 
At least only listening when plugged in cuts down on the situation where you're going to be in a crowded environment and someone else says "Hey, Siri - play me some music" and everyone's iPhone starts playing a song

Can you imagine at next year's WWDC if Tim gets on stage for his keynote and shouts out "Hey, Siri" Instant chaos!

With the ambient noise of a crowded environment I do not foresee that to be an issue. A bigger use case against voice launching is a family situation. My wife and I both have iPhones. I want to be able to control things like my alarm via voice launching siri. Since my wife's phone is a kingsize bed width away, will both our phones activate and set the alarm?
 
I see the rationale behind making it plugged-in only, but why not give us the choice?

Because Apple doesn't want their support forums and staff inundated with people complaining about battery life. Like others have said, I suspect the new iPhone will have hardware that supports Siri always listening without needing to be plugged in.
 
With the ambient noise of a crowded environment I do not foresee that to be an issue. A bigger use case against voice launching is a family situation. My wife and I both have iPhones. I want to be able to control things like my alarm via voice launching siri. Since my wife's phone is a kingsize bed width away, will both our phones activate and set the alarm?

The MOTO X only acts on commands spoken by the owner of the phone via voice regontition.

Not sure Apple have implemented the same thing here though.
 
It's because the current hardware can't support 'always on' listening mode so yo need to be plugged in to use it. I'd put money on this being a feature of the M8 chip so only a few months to wait :) I've been wishing for always on Siri for a good little while now
 
It's because the current hardware can't support 'always on' listening mode so yo need to be plugged in to use it. I'd put money on this being a feature of the M8 chip so only a few months to wait :) I've been wishing for always on Siri for a good little while now

Me too! I hope it happens with the iPhone 6.
 
With the ambient noise of a crowded environment I do not foresee that to be an issue. A bigger use case against voice launching is a family situation. My wife and I both have iPhones. I want to be able to control things like my alarm via voice launching siri. Since my wife's phone is a kingsize bed width away, will both our phones activate and set the alarm?

I think we will see Siri improvements where she will be able to recognize your voice and your voice only.
I have been using the feature in my car, and wow it is very handy interestingly saying Hey siri, do so and so, works almost every single time.
 
Siri would record every sound around you if this wasn't the case, not to mention someone could just say "Hey Siri!" loudly and activate multiple devices around them. That would be very disruptive.

thats the way it is with ok google.Its hilarious to do that to people though
 
Multiple Devices

What I want to know is how they're going to handle hand's free siri on multiple devices. If I say hey siri and both my ipad and iphone are going off (and maybe mac in the future) that will get a bit annoying with Siri talking over herself all the time
 
What I want to know is how they're going to handle hand's free siri on multiple devices. If I say hey siri and both my ipad and iphone are going off (and maybe mac in the future) that will get a bit annoying with Siri talking over herself all the time

I'm sure there will be a switch to turn that feature on and off. I also suspect most people will find that feature more beneficial on an iPhone using it in the car.
 
What I want to know is how they're going to handle hand's free siri on multiple devices. If I say hey siri and both my ipad and iphone are going off (and maybe mac in the future) that will get a bit annoying with Siri talking over herself all the time

The closest Siri you are to will probably execute calling off the rest associated with an Apple ID.
 
Get the feeling that the iPhone 6 will support it without restrictions (assuming it has the necessary processor), but it would kill and earlier models battery within hours.
 
nope....you can speak to Moto X when the phone is not on... the special low power chip helps that. For other devices, you need be on the home screen, then say OK Google to invoke Google Now search

So to get to the home screen you need to physically activate your device, which is what Hey Siri and the Moto X feature aims to avoid.

If you have your iPhone in your hand, you can already either push the home button or take it to your ear to activate Siri.

Not to say that being able to say "Hey Siri" on the home screen without having it plugged wouldn't be nice, but this is not what feature aims to be, it's about being able to activate Siri without touching your device.
 
Pretty sure it would not be that bad since it's only listening for a key word...

You do realize that it still requires that the mic be on at all times listening and the phone processor processing all speech going on to find when that word is muttered right? It's still a drain on the battery and processor regardless of the words being said.
 
I think we will see Siri improvements where she will be able to recognize your voice and your voice only.
I have been using the feature in my car, and wow it is very handy interestingly saying Hey siri, do so and so, works almost every single time.

I agree. However, I haven't had "Hey Siri" work for me even once. (iPhone 5S and yes, plugged into power). My wife had to tell me to stop talking to my phone last night, as it lay there in a locked state on the counter uncaring of my plea's for Siri to launch without my physical touch.
 
So to get to the home screen you need to physically activate your device, which is what Hey Siri and the Moto X feature aims to avoid.

If you have your iPhone in your hand, you can already either push the home button or take it to your ear to activate Siri.

Not to say that being able to say "Hey Siri" on the home screen without having it plugged wouldn't be nice, but this is not what feature aims to be, it's about being able to activate Siri without touching your device.

I do not have iPhone to test... So I do not know if you can take it to your ear to activate Siri... .

Yes... To use OK Google other than Moto X, you need physically touch the phone... That is annoying...but you do not have to plug in.. That is a plus...
 
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