In the many years I've been a loyal Apple customer and fan, this is the very first time I've felt strongly enough to be so disappointed in Apple that it deserves a post. I've been using the Siri App on my iPhone 4 since it came out (for more than a year and a half now). Today I find that Apple has just 'turned off' Siri to existing iPhone 4 users. Are you serious Apple? Aren't we the group of users that made Siri so popular the past couple of years that you thought well enough of it to integrate it into your new flagship iphone 4s product? This is how you treat us? No notice? No warning? Just a deceptive message since the iPhone 4S was introduced that Siri was going to be upgraded with its introduction? What's the upgrade for us? Complete and utter discontinuance? You're kidding right? Is this Apple's 'new' direction? If so, investors, dump your stock now, because post Jobs, its going for a tumble. The Siri product has worked perfectly fine on the iPhone 4. Sure, the new Siri might have more bells and whistles because the iPhone 4S perhaps has better hardware, but come on guys, what are you doing out there? You built Siri 'on our backs'. It was users of the past few years, our desires, our feedback, and mostly our support that made you WANT to put it into the iPhone 4S and market it as a 'new feature'. Now you're simply discontinuing the present version from iPhone 4 users without even a notification much less an open apology? Apple bad bad move.
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Siri discountinued for existing iPhone users?
- Thread starter jamarotta
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Siri was acquired 16 months ago by Apple, as you know. At that time development of the public Siri app ceased. It hasn't been improved since then. The original Siri app was neat but mainly it was an indication of the technology's promise.
It doesn't serve Apple's interests to maintain the stand-alone app as a separate product. It would divert resources away from extending the OS-wide capabilities of Siri on their latest product.
On behalf of Apple I apologize to you for the inconvenience. But it was the right decision.
It doesn't serve Apple's interests to maintain the stand-alone app as a separate product. It would divert resources away from extending the OS-wide capabilities of Siri on their latest product.
On behalf of Apple I apologize to you for the inconvenience. But it was the right decision.
I'm guessing you're not a heavy user of the Siri app, as the app has been displaying a notice that it's "going home" since two Wednesdays ago.
Apple Shutting Down Existing Siri App with iPhone 4S Launch
It's apple. They do what they want.
Maybe try Vlingo? Their service is completely free now since Siri was introduced by apple.
Maybe try Vlingo? Their service is completely free now since Siri was introduced by apple.
I'm not sure you understand why Siri isn't on the iphone 4. It's not because of the advanced 4S hardware, it's because they didn't have enough new features on the 4S to convince people to upgrade. It was a smart business decision because otherwise people would go with the cheaper but nearly identical 4. Siri isn't on the iphone 4 to cripple it enough for people to get the 4S. This is disgraceful to say the least. I don't think it's a huge deal as there will be a jailbreak soon to fix this, but I've lost respect for a company that is supposed to provide premium technology. You can keep your apology.
"It was the right decision" is a premature conclusion. Also, if more decisions like this are indicative of the "new" Apple then you guys have lost your way and the consumer will be sure to show it.
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I used Siri quite frequently as a matter of fact so your guess would be wrong. Siri kept displaying a message on my phone that it was becoming 'new and improved' and that a newer Siri would becoming out with the 4S. That IS NOT the same as saying "Oh and by the way, unless you go out and purchase a 4S, Siri will no longer work on your plain old iPhone 4"!
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Maybe your reading comprehension needs some work then? The message on YOUR phone also stated, "I will be leaving for home Oct. 15th" at the end of what you quoted. Everyone else was able to deduct from that, that it was in fact the end of the Siri App...
You got the exact same message that everyone else did, it's just that you seem to be the only one confused by it.
If you Google the phrase "Siri shutting down", you'll see tens of thousands of articles posted on Oct 4/5 (when the Siri app started displaying that message), including virtually every major tech news site.
As a loyal Apple user, you should know by now that Apple is not about "Choice" and the Apple Fanboy is all about supporting Apple with any of "it's" choices it makes; regardless of how unfair and disloyal it is to it's customers. So this is why you are where you are in this thread; defending your opinion against said fanboys.
I don't have any legions to anything or anyone, so I will jump ship on anything that offers real choice and value. At the moment, that is definitely not Apple. Maybe you should give something else a try, and I mean a real try. You got Windows Phone Mango devices and Ice Cream Sandwich (very soon) devices. If you do, make suer it's a high end device comparable to the iPhone 4. It may be worth your while. Use them for 6 months to a Year (that's what I mean by a real try). If you don't like what they offer. Come back to Apple. Choice is what it's all about.
I don't have any legions to anything or anyone, so I will jump ship on anything that offers real choice and value. At the moment, that is definitely not Apple. Maybe you should give something else a try, and I mean a real try. You got Windows Phone Mango devices and Ice Cream Sandwich (very soon) devices. If you do, make suer it's a high end device comparable to the iPhone 4. It may be worth your while. Use them for 6 months to a Year (that's what I mean by a real try). If you don't like what they offer. Come back to Apple. Choice is what it's all about.
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As I said few days ago:
Am I the only one that don't like the idea that Apple bought this useful and free Siri app and closed it to use the technology as a proprietary feature for the 4s, so it can sell better? probably they knew that a better cam and a faster processor weren't enough for an update, so they used this technology of a free software as a highlight feature of the 4S, just because they couldn't make a better iPhone 5...
Siri just needs an internet connection and would even run on the 3GS! it should be integrated in iOS 5 and run on every device. This just feels wrong, I wish Apple would be more open like Google in this case, they opened their Google Voice technology so that everyone can use it, it should be like this. I really hope the jailbreak community will make Siri free again.
Am I the only one that don't like the idea that Apple bought this useful and free Siri app and closed it to use the technology as a proprietary feature for the 4s, so it can sell better? probably they knew that a better cam and a faster processor weren't enough for an update, so they used this technology of a free software as a highlight feature of the 4S, just because they couldn't make a better iPhone 5...
Siri just needs an internet connection and would even run on the 3GS! it should be integrated in iOS 5 and run on every device. This just feels wrong, I wish Apple would be more open like Google in this case, they opened their Google Voice technology so that everyone can use it, it should be like this. I really hope the jailbreak community will make Siri free again.
Nextsta, your right on and no your not the only one. I felt strongly enough about the removal of the Siri app too to start this post (although there are a couple of members that are trying hard to keep it off topic). I agree with you that it feels wrong that Apple removed Siri from existing iPhone 4 users (without notification) and its a shame if folks have to feel that they need to jailbreak their phones to get it back on. I also agree that Google has taken a different approach and a better approach. Google's approach does more to engender customer loyalty than Apple's latest approach appears to do (in my opinion). Thanks for sharing your opinion too!
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It said that it was "leaving" for the 4S on October 15. What part of that didn't you understand? I think the issue at hand is your reading comprehension, rather than Apple taking Siri from you.
It wasnt "wrong" of Apple to discontinue Siri for non-4S devices, but it was disappointing. Their goal is to sell devices and make money, and if using Siri to differentiate the 4S from the rest of their devices is what it takes, then that's their prerogative. I realized long ago that Apple was no longer the underdog railing against The Machine, and was just as greedy as everyone else. Therefore, nothing they do anymore surprises me.
They chose not to include Siri as part of iOS on the iPhone 4 for legitimate reasons.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pue5Yl3WrZA&feature=player_embedded
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pue5Yl3WrZA&feature=player_embedded
You seem to be taking offense to the term "reading comprehension", although it's being specifically used in this thread regarding the understanding that you arrived at (i.e. comprehension) after reading (i.e. reading) the notification for the Siri App.
It is not being used as a personal insult. If you disagree, feel free to press the little red triangle on the bottom left of any post.
It is not being used as a personal insult. If you disagree, feel free to press the little red triangle on the bottom left of any post.
Would make sense except for the fact that the version in existence prior to the release of the iPhone 4s has worked just fine on the iPhone 4 for the past couple of years. They could have kept this version going on the iPhone 4 for existing users (maybe renamed it to 'Siri Lite' for example) and then marketed the new Siri with the 4S as they have. This way, if there are things in the new Siri that require the improved hardware of the 4S, there wouldn't be any issue by trying to force it to be compatible on the now older iPhone 4.
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Wow...you need to relax a little. Whether you like it or not, there was notice given that the Siri app was going away. You seem to be trying to argue with people about that, but it is fact.
Quoting the forum rules to people that have been around a lot longer than you isn't going to help. You seem to take it personally that someone pointed out errors in your original post. If that bothers you, then you probably shouldn't be on a forum like this. That's what people do, both here and in most other forums. If you wanted people to just read your rant and feel bad for you, this isn't the place. There are a lot of very friendly people around here, but they will point out errors; there's nothing wrong with that.
I don't think anyone has insulted you; they questioned whether or not you understood that the notice on Siri meant it was going away for users of the app. It's not something to get all bent out of shape about.
I'm sorry you lost an app that you really liked, but they did give you warning that it was going away. And Apple is going to make the decisions that are best for it as a business. I love Apple, but it is still a business, and I realize that occasionally they're going to do things that I don't like. That's how the world workd.
There are many forums that I am a member of, some for quite a long time. Every forum has its members that like to take things off topic and even go 'after' other members for their opinions. Usually though, those who participate in that sort of thing aren't members that have been around awhile because they are supposed to know the rules and the rules are being enforced.
I stand by my position that Apple did not provide proper notification to existing iPhone 4 users. Another measure to support that claim even now, is what Siri 'says' currently when you go into it. The message is 'Hello, I'm Siri, how can I help you?' followed by 'Sorry,a problem occurred receiving response from the server.' The message does not read 'Sorry, this application has been discontinued on this product' or something more straightforward.
Apple is a business, and yes like any business, they will make mistakes or do things consumers don't like. That is in fact the reason for my post, to express that I believe it's a mistake in the hopes that enough Siri users do the same and Apple rectifies it. Believe it or not, it was not a post to simply generate insults or abuse from a few members who get off on that sort of thing.
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Wow. Wrong time to get into this thread! My two cents: an app isn't worth so much frustration. So what if the Siri app was pulled? (it was reported on many sites about the notice FYI)
Wow. Wrong time to get into this thread! My two cents: an app isn't worth so much frustration. So what if the Siri app was pulled? (it was reported on many sites about the notice FYI)