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

The new Siri voices

Gogurt48

Gogurt48

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jun 17, 2013
663
1
I was really looking forward to hearing the new Siri voices because they sounded amazingly lifelike in the keynote, especially the male one. So I was disappointed to hear them on beta 2. They still sound somewhat robotic to me.

However, the release notes refer to them as "development versions." This makes me think maybe they're "low-res" versions deployed for testing purposes. Maybe the final versions will sound better.
 
Gogurt48 said:
I was really looking forward to hearing the new Siri voices because they sounded amazingly lifelike in the keynote, especially the male one. So I was disappointed to hear them on beta 2. They still sound somewhat robotic to me.

However, the release notes refer to them as "development versions." This makes me think maybe they're "low-res" versions deployed for testing purposes. Maybe the final versions will sound better.
Click to expand...

Dev notes do say that the new voices are not included yet, they're not ready yet obviously. They will be there by GM
 
I think it's the same thing we dealt with before. Some people used to note that Siri sounded different, "sick", more robotic, et cetera. I think until something is downloaded they sounded that way. It was mainly on new installs/new phones. After a day or so the robotic sound went away. This is likely the same...
 
they are there..its under siri options in general. you can choose between male and female.
 
iBreatheApple said:
I think it's the same thing we dealt with before. Some people used to note that Siri sounded different, "sick", more robotic, et cetera. I think until something is downloaded they sounded that way. It was mainly on new installs/new phones. After a day or so the robotic sound went away. This is likely the same...
Click to expand...

I was also thinking this might be the case.
 
Beta 2 includes the new voices.

They sound A LOT more human. Yeah, I mean there's still the choppiness when stringing words together, but the voice is much more real sounding, rather than computer generated, and a lot of the pre-stringed phrases sound like you're talking to an actual person. Overall it's a HUGE step up.

Now, if only we could change the accent...

Also, the sickly or "compact" voice (when you're in a slow data environment or similar it switches to compact voice, kind of how youtube sometimes kicks you down in your video resolution), was there for me at first but it promptly went away.
 
I believe they're dev voices. Certainly changed compared to the Siri we've had for a while now, but the notes do make mention the new voices are not included in this build, so these must be placeholder voices until the final ones are put in.
 
bmwjeff said:
they are there..its under siri options in general. you can choose between male and female.
Click to expand...

I know that there are now more choices but if you choose the United States Female voice, it's the same old Siri that it's always been.
No difference at all that I can hear.
I've even done comparisons with iOS6 and with multiple people listening, no one can hear any difference.
 
bmwjeff said:
they are there..its under siri options in general. you can choose between male and female.
Click to expand...

Not for everyone... I get the options for Male/Female when selecting USA English, but not Australian.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_1200.PNG
    IMG_1200.PNG
    72.3 KB · Views: 111
shandyman said:
Dev notes do say that the new voices are not included yet, they're not ready yet obviously. They will be there by GM
Click to expand...

Are you sure you're looking at the right notes? For about an hour, the link that said "iOS7 beta 2 release notes" actually linked to the beta 1 notes.

The actual beta 2 release notes say, "This seed includes development versions of new male and female Siri voices for U.S. English and French, and a male voice for German."

It's the phrase "development versions" that makes me think these might not be the finished product.

----------

Having played with it a little more, I've noticed that some phrases sound choppy and robotic, but others sound very smooth and lifelike. Try saying, "Open the pod bay doors" to Siri a few times and you'll see what I mean.

In one example, Siri says, "I'm sorry, I'm afraid I can't do that," sounding robotic. Then he says, "Are you happy now?" in a very realistic voice.
 
Do the new SIRI voices work everywhere or just within the SIRI app? Like, can you switch which voice works within the maps app?
 
Telp said:
Do the new SIRI voices work everywhere or just within the SIRI app? Like, can you switch which voice works within the maps app?
Click to expand...

The voice carries over through navigation but it's funny because they play at 75% speed when giving directions... Heeaaadd sooutttheeeassstt onnn "X" rooad. :p
 
Gjwilly said:
I know that there are now more choices but if you choose the United States Female voice, it's the same old Siri that it's always been.
No difference at all that I can hear.
I've even done comparisons with iOS6 and with multiple people listening, no one can hear any difference.
Click to expand...

Uhm, trust me there is a HUGE difference, I'm not sure how you're unable to hear it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=33xjYu_l2pc Comparison. The voices are VERY obviously different.
 
Gjwilly said:
Nope.
Not a huge difference.
Even after watching that video it's a slight difference at best. Nothing like the voice we heard at WWDC.
Click to expand...

My Siri, as far as the voice, sounds a lot like the WWDC one. It's not perfectly smooth but it's a very big upgrade.
 
When you ask Siri what she's wearing she doesn't say aluminosilicate glass and stainless steel anymore, instead she says aluminosilicate glass and aluminum.
 
Me too.

Hi all. I downloaded iOS 7 Beta 2 on both my iPod touch and iPhone. On the iPod Touch the new voices sound rich and clear (Like an actual human), however on my iPhone you can tell the underlying voice in the same as the one on my iPod, but there's a more robotic tone in its voice. I know it's a beta and I shouldn't be upset but this is really bugging me, especially because one of my devices is fine but the other isn't.
 
DoubleJ8161 said:
Hi all. I downloaded iOS 7 Beta 2 on both my iPod touch and iPhone. On the iPod Touch the new voices sound rich and clear (Like an actual human), however on my iPhone you can tell the underlying voice in the same as the one on my iPod, but there's a more robotic tone in its voice. I know it's a beta and I shouldn't be upset but this is really bugging me, especially because one of my devices is fine but the other isn't.
Click to expand...

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1602337/

There's also a video.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back