Nuance CEO Confirms Siri Partnership with Apple

[MacRumors]

​

Nuance has long been given credit for powering Siri's speech recognition capabilities, but neither the company nor Apple have ever confirmed the partnership, until today. Speaking at the D11: All Things Digital conference in Palos Verdes, California, Nuance CEO Paul Ricci admitted that Nuance technology powers Siri.

"We're a fundamental provider for Apple," he said.

Though Nuance did not previously admit to an Apple partnership, there have been numerous hints that all but confirmed Nuance's Siri role. Siri, which was acquired by Apple in 2010, was built using voice recognition technology from Nuance, and in 2011, pre-release iOS 5 screenshots revealed hidden Nuance preferences.

Besides powering Siri, Nuance has its own dictation and speech recognition software. It has also formed partnerships with several other companies and Siri competitors, such as Amazon's Evi, and released an API for developers.

Though Nuance is responsible for Siri's voice recognition capabilities, Ricci did point out (via The Next Web) that other Siri abilities are the work of other companies. Siri integrates with many different services to provide query results, like Yelp, OpenTable and Wolfram Alpha.

Apple is expected to increase Siri integration across its products with both iOS 7 and OS X 10.9. Reports from earlier this year suggested that Apple was working closely with car makers to provide more comprehensive "Eyes-Free" in-car Siri integration and OS X 10.9 is rumored to include Siri support.

Article Link: Nuance CEO Confirms Siri Partnership with Apple

 

[rmwebs]

I wouldn't brag about that given that Siri has been sat and left to die since the day it was launched, with no compelling new features, fixes or improvements being launched other than (IIRC) a baseball card or something.

 

[TWSS37]

Why not just ask Siri this question?

 

[cmChimera]

I wouldn't brag about that given that Siri has been sat and left to die since the day it was launched, with no compelling new features, fixes or improvements being launched other than (IIRC) a baseball card or something.

Dinner reservations, movie ticket buying, sports information, movie information etc. They've added things.

 

[bushido]

why would they admit this?

 

[mdelvecchio]

I wouldn't brag about that given that Siri has been sat and left to die since the day it was launched, with no compelling new features, fixes or improvements being launched other than (IIRC) a baseball card or something.

youre pretty clueless. theyve added new features, serviceable items, and support since the launch.

next.

 

[BrianMojo]

So now I know who to blame.

I love Apple, but face it, Siri's voice recognition is way behind Google. And until they allow developers to integrate their apps, it'll remain a one-trick pony.

 

[blitzer09x87]

seems like the awesome siri is gonna get even better.

 

[slicecom]

This is not something to be proud of.

 

[Dekema2]

Yuck, this isn't an Apple-native product!

 

[ZacNicholson]

siri sucks

 

[billystlyes]

I liked Siri in her latest commercial.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86JMcy5OqZA

Let's face it Google is way ahead in voice. Kinda like everything when it comes to web services.

 

[JayCee842]

Siri has horrible voice recognition and its features are really limited. Could be better, but not even useful. I turned it off right when I got my iPhone 5.

 

[Parasprite]

I wouldn't brag about that given that Siri has been sat and left to die since the day it was launched, with no compelling new features, fixes or improvements being launched other than (IIRC) a baseball card or something.

They've added things and fixed it up a little, but voice recognition to me has resorted to "Set a timer for 30 minutes" and "Wake me up at 9:39", anything else just becomes jumbled as I try to figure out the wording on-the-spot, or change my mind on what I'm going to do mid-sentence.

Sounded scary in 1960, awesome in 1990, plausible in 2000, but failed to live up to expectations of usefulness in 2013.

I suppose back when UI was poor or non-existent, it seemed like the most efficient way to just tell the computer what you want and it does it.

 

[cclloyd]

I used dragon a lot one time cause it worked. I only use Siri to turn my alarm on

 

[rmwebs]

Dinner reservations, movie ticket buying, sports information, movie information etc. They've added things.

Fantastic....oh wait....none of that really works outside the US. I can get movie times, but no booking. You can get local restaurants, but again, no booking. So its a glorified/lazy google maps search for most of us.

 

[Parasprite]

Siri has horrible voice recognition and its features are really limited. Could be better, but not even useful. I turned it off right when I got my iPhone 5.

I don't have a problem with voice recognition, it almost always understands what I want to say. The problem is getting it to interpret "Do this, this, and this" as "Do this, this, and this" rather than "Do this, then ask me questions because I forgot the rest of what you just said ten seconds ago"

----------

Fantastic....oh wait....none of that really works outside the US. I can get movie times, but no booking. You can get local restaurants, but again, no booking. So its a glorified/lazy google maps search for most of us.

You aren't missing much, it's really more hassle than it's worth IMO. It also has the added downside of popping up restaurants and movie titles when you wanted to do something completely unrelated.

 

[rmwebs]

I liked Siri in her latest commercial.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86JMcy5OqZA

Let's face it Google is way ahead in voice. Kinda like everything when it comes to web services.

Gotta hand it to Microsoft there, that's a shockingly good commercial, and highly comical.

 

[3282868]

Reports from earlier this year suggested that Apple was working closely with car makers to provide more comprehensive "Eyes-Free"*in-car Siri integration and OS X 10.9 is rumored to include Siri support.

Great, Siri and iOS Maps will be able to direct me to a Chipotle in the middle of the Hudson river with my cars navigation.

 

[iAmUndefined]

Mac

I know this is MACRUMORS but everyone knows Siri sucks.

 

[Parasprite]

Great, Siri will be able to direct me to a Chipotle in the middle of the Hudson river with my cars navigation.

What's worse is that doesn't even give you the fastest route.

 

[rmwebs]

youre pretty clueless. theyve added new features, serviceable items, and support since the launch.

next.

No, I'm really not. Give me a nice list of those features, 'serviceable items' is not a feature and 'support' just seems like a copout.

And if its going to be something like 'movie bookings' make sure it works outside the US

Siri is still pretty poor. Next.

 

[3282868]

What's worse is that doesn't even give you the fastest route.

They'll add it to OS X eventually so you can join us in complaining about it.

Ha! "fastest route" Apple should add "swimming" as a method of transportation.

I was just about to post a comment on Siri in OS X 10.9 rumors. I can imagine all the OS X users trying to use Siri: "I said 'Find address' not 'Find a dress'!" I'm waiting with bated breath.

Siriously, when will Apple add "true" multi-tasking to iOS? The hardware can handle running two apps at once. A valid point mentioned in the recent Microsoft tablet adds.

 

[JayCee842]

Great, Siri and iOS Maps will be able to direct me to a Chipotle in the middle of the Hudson river with my cars navigation.

Oh the humanity. lol

 

[Banyan Bruce]

Siri in car integration....?

Lets hope that it isn't used to start the car with a voice command.

User: "Car Start"
Siri: "Car Fart ? Do you want me to search the web for this ?"

User: "Turn on lights"
Siri " Turn up Tights ? Do you want me to search the web for this ?"

Siri can barely handle simple speech requests such as call Fred or text Cindy etc

Get the basics right first.
Siri needs some serious TLC
Siri " TLB ? Do you want me to search the web for this ?"