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What to do when Siri calls the wrong person?

A

andrewlevitt257

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Aug 9, 2010
4
0
I like using Siri for business, but ~daily she calls the wrong person. I don't seem to have the option to cancel it--I ask her to CANCEL or STOP! and that doesn't do anything. There's no buttons except the microphone. By the time the red end call button is up, the call is already started and the wrong guy's phone is ringing. For instance:

"Call William Buffam"

"Calling Warren Buffett"

NOOO PLEASE GOD NOT WARREN, NOT AGAIN!!

Is there no way to interrupt this process, or get Siri to ask for confirmation?

iOS 7.0.1 on iPhone 5s on Verizon
 
I'd say not use Siri and look up the contact and dial it yourself.
 
I thought that the end call button appears at least a second or two before the call actually connects in most cases, at least giving you that time to end it before the call would actually go out (and I think even when it does go out it still takes at least another second or two if not more before the recipient's call would actually ring).
 
maflynn said:
I'd say not use Siri and look up the contact and dial it yourself.
Click to expand...

But the OP has one good point. Why is there not an option to instantly "abort" (cancel) a Siri action in progress?

I mean…. even with FaceTime "misdirected calls", I have approx. 1.5 seconds of window-time to abort an accidentally pressed call before it actually reaches the unintended party.

Certainly, Apple has the technology to allow this action-cancellation for Siri. Why they don't implement it, my guess is as good as the OP's.
 
Hit the Lock button - it should lock your iPhone and abort the request.

(If you do it before the Call Screen shows up)
 
Last edited:
andrewlevitt257 said:
I like using Siri for business, but ~daily she calls the wrong person. I don't seem to have the option to cancel it--I ask her to CANCEL or STOP! and that doesn't do anything. There's no buttons except the microphone. By the time the red end call button is up, the call is already started and the wrong guy's phone is ringing. For instance:

"Call William Buffam"

"Calling Warren Buffett"

NOOO PLEASE GOD NOT WARREN, NOT AGAIN!!

Is there no way to interrupt this process, or get Siri to ask for confirmation?

iOS 7.0.1 on iPhone 5s on Verizon
Click to expand...


If Siri is having issues understanding certain contact names, assign nicknames to them to make it easier.
 
FSMBP said:
Hit the Lock button - it should lock your iPhone and abort the request.

(If you do it before the Call Screen shows up)
Click to expand...
It works if you are just dialing normally, IIRC, but if you are dialing using a bluetooth headset or system, or using the headphones, or perhaps even with speakerphone enabled in some fashion then the lock button won't end the call (and just locks the screen making it that much harder to end the call quickly).
 
You have to put in 2 numbers for each person in address book. Then Siri will ask which number before dialing. That has been my solution since siri's introduction. Apple still hasn't inserted a confirmation on who to call.
 
Very helpful replies all. Part of my situation is that I call miscellaneous different people, and I have several hundred contacts (since it's synced to my main contact list). This rules out (for me anyway) training or nicknames or double numbers, that would take forever to set up.

One workaround is I can ask for "Contact William Buffam", and she gives me the phone number, which I can tap to call.

I experimented with single-tapping the lock button. If I get to it immediately after Siri finishes the name, it will abort the call. But if I tap lock when Siri says the type of number (eg "Work", "Mobile"), it just locks the screen but continues making the call. Turns out also if you single-tap the Home button fast enough it will also cancel.

Double-tapping home or lock does nothing that single-tapping doesn't do.

At some point, once the call is being considered to be initiated, the lock button will end the call as if you'd hit the red end button.
 
Solomani said:
But the OP has one good point. Why is there not an option to instantly "abort" (cancel) a Siri action in progress?
Click to expand...
That may be true, but the issue still stands, if Siri is calling the wrong contact consistently, then why keep using it?
 
I agree - I think you need to stop using Siri, or use Siri with a bluetooth headset. I have a 'supertooth buddy' in my car (£50 a couple of years ago, probably cheaper now) and I can press the action button to immediately cancel whatever Siri is doing.

If you're using Siri whilst not connected to bluetooth, then just use contacts to dial the number manually, or do what you're currently doing by saying 'contact (name)'

Obviously it would be great if Apple did implement a cancel feature, I'm just trying to suggest solutions that are currently available.

One thing I don't like is that Siri sometimes says 'ringing' rather than 'calling (name)' so I have no idea if it's dialling the right person or not!
 
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