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Third-Party Siri Support in iOS 10 'Long-Overdue' and 'Useful in Everyday Life'

This is likely the biggest announcement from iOS 10 and one that went unnoticed by most.

Not only does this give Apple a jump on offering this type of integration over Android, but it also means they can build their machine learning much faster. With all the added input they can collect from these types of tasks for Siri, Apple should be able to increase the speed of development of their machine learning.
 
This is great I don't deny it. But let's face it, the one thing we wanted to control with Siri was Spotify.
 
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Zirel said:
Google Now still doesn't have an open API of any kind.
Click to expand...

You don't need one. You use the Google Voice Interaction API for voice commands.

If you advertise with Google, your restaurant logo (e.g.) will appear on Google Maps. If you don't, it doesn't, making the user think that your business doesn't even exist, because other similar business are marked on the map.
Click to expand...

Not true. Any business that doesn't show up... usually because it hasn't been verified as being a location open for consumer purchases... can enter its information in Google My Business to show up for free.
 
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Richardgm said:
Sure, but it understood the name Michael Jackson properly; it's just looking in the wrong place.

It's going to be a mess when other apps start integrating into Siri.
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THAT is, IMO, the overarching issue with speech-driven AI. Context is everything! The ability to ask for something specific - a persons birthday - just to have the request generalized because of a partial match in the first place it looks is a critical mistake. I could understand this if there was a "Michael Jackson" or someone with a phonetically similar name in the address book. I could even understand if Siri responded "there are several matches for your request... did you mean ... " then verbally give me an option. Sadly, Siri does neither. It just gives up.

I'm thrilled to have Siri coming to other apps and look forward to the day when it becomes smarter, but agree that we're going to have major issues of context.
 
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keysofanxiety said:
Nah, it's just if you have a surname with 'Jackson' in your contact list, with a birthday added, it will always bring up the contact one; even if the name is different.

You can test it out by adding a new contact with <any first name> & Jackson as the surname, then add a fake birthday, and it'll happen each time when you ask Siri.
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Good catch. They are going to have to work on that hierarchy or all the good intentions are going to pave a road to an embarrassing disaster.
 
"Everyday Life" as in the USA or Europe, not the rest of the world. Same with Apple Pay and Apple TV.
 
Please let us change Siri's vocal activation call sign to Jarvis in Siri's options.
 
I just tried to the same thing and Siri did not work, I ask what movies are playing near me and it told me their were no movies playing close to me.
 
Richardgm said:
Siri is still crap is iOS 10.

View attachment 647533 View attachment 647534

And that was just yesterday.

Edit:

I have more:

IMG_2755.png


IMG_2563.png
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Wow, she has a lot to learn still.
 
keysofanxiety said:
It might be that they have people already called Jackson in their address book. Hold up, I'll test.

EDIT: Yep, that's the case.

View attachment 647538 View attachment 647540
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yeah. and also: don't be a dolt.

before posting all sorts of 'see siri is crap' posts, try actually using it as if you gave a damn--

query: "..when is singer michael jackson's birthday?" -- you know, so it can differentiate between that jackson and any others you may have in your files -- and you get a good answer in less than a second... like a normal person.

so. why not try to be part of the solution, and not part of the problem? i know it's fun to sling mud, but, if that's all you do, you're just a little piggy in the mud.
 
two things guys:

1) If you want an accurate search, just say.. Please google first ;)

2) Siri doesn't understand speech as good as google now, so I'm not sure how third party support will make it better. Sure it has the ability to do a limited number of things, if it understands you. But don't ask it to look up info for you...


I have noticed Siri improve though, it has gone from awful to bad. I rate google now slightly above.. OK
 
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kdarling said:
You don't need one. You use the Google Voice Interaction API for voice commands.
Click to expand...

You can't integrate with Google Now.

Yes, there's a Google Voice API, not even close to be the same thing, there's also a Siri voice recognition API.


Not true. Any business that doesn't show up... usually because it hasn't been verified as being a location open for consumer purchases... can enter its information in Google My Business to show up for free.
Click to expand...

Not true

https://techcrunch.com/2013/08/08/g...relevant-local-ads-related-to-users-searches/

http://www.theverge.com/2016/5/24/11761794/google-maps-promoted-pins-announced-ads-coupons
 
dtich said:
yeah. and also: don't be a dolt.

before posting all sorts of 'see siri is crap' posts, try actually using it as if you gave a damn--

query: "..when is singer michael jackson's birthday?" -- you know, so it can differentiate between that jackson and any others you may have in your files -- and you get a good answer in less than a second... like a normal person.
Click to expand...
So, we need to remember specific phrases to get the correct result? There is no Michael Jackson in my contact list. Siri was just confused. Plain and simple.

You realise Google gets the answer 100% of the time, right?

How do you excuse the other errors in context? I'm not being specific enough?

Edit: here's a bonus:

IMG_1915.jpg


IMG_1916.jpg
 
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Steeley said:
This is great I don't deny it. But let's face it, the one thing we wanted to control with Siri was Spotify.
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Hahaha! TRUTH! Spotify was the only app that I was jazzed about regarding third party Siri support. Once I saw that music apps weren't listed as eligible for Siri integration, I quickly stopped caring. Man. :(
 
Zirel said:
Google Now still doesn't have an open API of any kind.

With Google Now, everything is controlled by Alphabet, Inc.

If you advertise with Google, your restaurant logo (e.g.) will appear on Google Maps. If you don't, it doesn't, making the user think that your business doesn't even exist, because other similar business are marked on the map.

Isn't an API for Google Now and Google Maps (and Google Allo while we are at it), also long overdue?

Slowpoke media like WSJ should leave tech coverage and analysis to those who know what they are talking about.
Click to expand...

That is incorrect.

Google Now has API and apps can be called / used / searched directly via voice in google now. It works much better with google services, but many other Apps have started to take advantage.

Plex for example
http://androidcommunity.com/plex-updated-to-v4-5-adds-voice-search-using-google-voice-20150625/

http://www.extremetech.com/mobile/198618-google-now-has-opened-up-to-third-party-developers

Don't spread FUD
 
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kdarling said:
Not true. Any business that doesn't show up... usually because it hasn't been verified as being a location open for consumer purchases... can enter its information in Google My Business to show up for free.
Click to expand...

Exactly. I manage the online presence for our company, and since we just moved, it's fresh in my mind.

Google is actually the easiest to deal with in terms of business listings. It's a single, unified account that handles all facets of your Google presence. Make a change, and it's reflected instantly.

I set up an AdWords account, but have never purchased any advertising; no issues at all with being omitted. Google is in the information business; they're not going to undermine the basic accuracy of their product to force businesses to purchase advertising. If there's one thing people are sensitive to, it's the accuracy of the maps they consult, so Google isn't going to drive users away by giving them a poor experience (Hello, Apple Maps!).

Yelp is similar as well; easy to update, and reflected instantly.

Apple Maps Connect is a bit different, and much more limited. They also require a vetting/verification process before changes are reflected.

Google can be criticized for a lot of things, but this isn't one of them.
 
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Larry-K said:
I get the feeling this junk is only viable in the Bay Area.
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:rolleyes: Keep telling yourself what you want to believe in.
[doublepost=1472608036][/doublepost]
Steeley said:
This is great I don't deny it. But let's face it, the one thing I wanted to control with Siri was Spotify.
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FIFY
[doublepost=1472608133][/doublepost]
Richardgm said:
So, we need to remember specific phrases to get the correct result? There is no Michael Jackson in my contact list. Siri was just confused. Plain and simple.

You realise Google gets the answer 100% of the time, right?

How do you excuse the other errors in context? I'm not being specific enough?

Edit: here's a bonus:

IMG_1915.jpg


IMG_1916.jpg
Click to expand...

Then don't use it. And don't use an iphone. There are a billion Android phones out there. Yawn.
 
appledefenceforce said:
:rolleyes: Keep telling yourself what you want to believe in.
[doublepost=1472608036][/doublepost]

FIFY
[doublepost=1472608133][/doublepost]

Then don't use it. And don't use an iphone. There are a billion Android phones out there. Yawn.
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Actually, I mostly use Siri to open the Google app these days.
[doublepost=1472608500][/doublepost]
itsmeaustend said:
I hope you're filing bug reports.
Click to expand...
I am
 
What I'm reading is that I won't be able to tell Siri to start my Spotify playlist, Pandora station or a TuneIn radio station (which Amazon's Echo can do).
 
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