Former Apple employee claims Steve Jobs would have 'lost his mind' over Siri
Fri, May 25, 2012 - A new report quotes a former Apple employee as saying that people at the company are "embarrassed by Siri" and late Apple co-founder Steve Jobs would have "lost his mind" over the feature's performance. ( 0 comments )
Actor John Malkovich amused by Siri in new iPhone 4S commercials
Wed, May 23, 2012 - John Malkovich is the latest celebrity to star in television commercials from Apple and Verizon touting the convenience of the Siri voice assistant feature of the iPhone 4S. ( 0 comments )
IBM bans Apple's Siri from its internal networks for security
Wed, May 23, 2012 - Because the Siri and Dictation features for iOS must be sent to Apple to be converted to text, IBM has barred the use of them from its corporate networks, citing security concerns. ( 0 comments )
Apple argues plaintiffs are too vague in class action lawsuit over Siri
Wed, May 16, 2012 - Apple has filed a motion to dismiss a set of class-action lawsuits, which accuse the company of falsely advertising its Siri voice assistant feature for the iPhone 4S, under the grounds that the plaintiffs did not specify exactly what claims led them to purchase the device. ( 0 comments )
Siri updated to give witty responses to 'best smartphone ever' query
Mon, May 14, 2012 - When asked for the "best smartphone ever," Siri will now provide a range of witty responses to users rather than giving details on the Nokia Lumia 900. ( 0 comments )
Samuel L. Jackson featured in new iPhone commercial [u]
Mon, Apr 16, 2012 - A new iPhone commercial from Verizon featuring actor Samuel L. Jackson has aired on ESPN, marking the return of famous talent to Apple product ads. ( 38 comments )
Siri print ad shows up in Rolling Stone magazine
Mon, Apr 2, 2012 - One of the first Apple print spots to feature its Siri virtual assistant popped up in the new issue of Rolling Stone magazine on Monday as part of an iPhone 4S advertisement. ( 20 comments )
Apple faces second class-action lawsuit over Siri
Fri, Mar 30, 2012 - A new class-action lawsuit has been filed against Apple over its Siri voice recognition feature of the iPhone 4S with allegations that the company is falsely representing the service's capabilities. ( 81 comments )
Apple interested in bringing Siri to the Mac via iPhone pairing
Thu, Mar 29, 2012 - Apple has shown interest in bringing Siri functionality to other devices, like Macs, by pairing them with an iPhone to share its voice control abilities. ( 25 comments )
Apple's Steve Jobs wasn't a fan of the name 'Siri'
Wed, Mar 28, 2012 - Apple co-founder Steve Jobs didn't particularly like the name "Siri" when he acquired the company behind the personal assistant software, but he failed to come up with what he thought was a better option. ( 50 comments )
Siri used by 87% of iPhone 4S owners, study claims
Mon, Mar 26, 2012 - Research from an unreleased study found that some 87 percent of iPhone 4S owners use at least one of the features offered by Apple's Siri each month, lending evidence that the virtual assistant is a notable differentiator from competing devices. ( 27 comments )
ESPN collaborating with Apple, appears ready to add sports scores to Siri
Mon, Mar 26, 2012 - Apple's Siri development team, one of the largest in the company, appears to be working to add sports scores to the mobile assistant service, possibly through a partnership with ESPN. ( 5 comments )
Siri gains improved weather and time functions in Canada
Tue, Mar 13, 2012 - Updates to Apple's Siri voice assistant service have improved functionality for Canadian users, with the changes allowing better location recognition of weather and time queries. ( 79 comments )
Users say Siri struggles in Japanese debut
Mon, Mar 12, 2012 - Apple added Japanese language support to Siri last week with the release of iOS 5.1, but some Japanese speakers are having trouble being understood by the voice assistant. ( 68 comments )
Mercedes-Benz to add Siri integration to new A-Class line
Tue, Feb 28, 2012 - Mercedes-Benz has announced comprehensive integration between Apple's iPhone and its new A-Class line of vehicles, including support for the Siri virtual assistant found in the iPhone 4S. ( 44 comments )
Apple's 'iPad 3' rumored to have Siri, dual-core A5X chip, 1080p camera
Tue, Feb 21, 2012 - A new report offers a picture claimed to be the front glass panel for Apple's next iPad, and also claims the third-generation device will feature Siri voice control, a dual-core "A5X" processor, and a 1080p camera with image stabilization. ( 112 comments )
Siri itself confirms Japanese support coming soon to Apple's iPhone 4S
Tue, Feb 14, 2012 - Apple's Siri virtual assistant for the iPhone 4S claims it can already speak Japanese, despite the fact that the language is not yet enabled in the feature's settings. ( 15 comments )
Apple disabling unauthorized Siri ports on non-iPhone 4S devices
Tue, Feb 14, 2012 - A report on Tuesday revealed that Apple has added a new barrier to the software needed to run Siri, a move that shows the Cupertino, Calif., company is actively tracking the growing number of iDevice users who have managed to port the voice-recognizing assistant to non-supported hardware. ( 55 comments )
Apple again highlights Siri with new 'Road Trip,' 'Rock God' iPhone 4S ads
Fri, Feb 10, 2012 - Apple on Thursday posted two new video ads showcasing how the Siri virtual assistant on the iPhone 4S can help people achieve dreams like cross-country road trips and playing in a rock band. ( 36 comments )
Siri rumored to gain support for Mandarin, Japanese and Russian in March
Wed, Feb 8, 2012 - An Apple software engineer reportedly working on the Chinese-language version of the company's Siri voice assistant says support for Mandarin, Japanese and Russian will be added in March, as well as localized navigation and information services. ( 31 comments )
Siri accounts for 1/4 of Wolfram Alpha queries as search engine goes 'Pro'
Tue, Feb 7, 2012 - About one quarter of the queries to the "computational knowledge engine" Wolfram Alpha now come from the Siri voice assistant found in Apple's iPhone 4S. ( 23 comments )
Apple iPhone 4S A5 chip incorporates Audience EarSmart noise reduction tech for Siri
Sun, Feb 5, 2012 - Apple's A5 System on a Chip incorporates dedicated noise reduction circuitry by Audience, Inc., which optimizes the performance of Siri voice recognition on iPhone 4S. ( 22 comments )
Apple working on version of Siri to help you purchase products online
Thu, Jan 19, 2012 - Future updates to Apple's Siri personal assistant could grant users the ability to purchase items from online stores using only their voice. ( 16 comments )
CES: Apple's Siri prompts competitors to push their own voice controls
Tue, Jan 10, 2012 - Though Apple is not present at this year's Consumer Electronics Show, the company's influence is felt on many of the products there, particularly with respect to new voice control functionality found in smartphones and televisions. ( 61 comments )
Hackers claim Siri port to iPhone 4 avoids copyright infringement
Tue, Dec 27, 2011 - Hackers have managed to successfully port Apple's Siri personal assistant to a device other than the iPhone 4S, and they claim to have done it without violating any copyright laws. ( 44 comments )
Apple's Santa TV spot deemed best ad of holiday season
Fri, Dec 23, 2011 - Apple's TV commercial depicting Santa Claus interacting with Siri on his iPhone 4S was named the most effective ad of the 2011 holiday season, and topped 34 other Santa-themed spots. ( 57 comments )
Nuance acquires Vlingo to deliver Siri-like intelligent voice interfaces
Tue, Dec 20, 2011 - Nuance has announced plans to acquire Vlingo in order to deliver a new generation of voice-based, natural language interfaces for a variety of consumer and professional markets the company sees as being a $5 billion opportunity. ( 24 comments )
Apple's Siri can now shop for electronics by voice using Wolfram Alpha
Mon, Dec 19, 2011 - A new capability announced by Wolfram Alpha enabling its clients to browse Best Buy's electronics and appliances data provides iPhone 4S Siri users a new way to shop and compare products using their voice. ( 19 comments )
NYT: Apple secretly working on wearable, Siri-compatible computers
Mon, Dec 19, 2011 - Apple has reportedly begun work on new, tiny, wearable devices that could be controlled with Siri, or used to input information to devices like the iPhone. ( 73 comments )
Samsung ramps up A5 production in Texas; iOS 5.0.1 tweak may aid Siri ports
Fri, Dec 16, 2011 - Samsung began full-scale production of Apple's A5 processor at a new facility in Austin, Texas, this month, while hackers are claiming that Apple's recent tweaks to iOS 5.0.1 could open up legal ways to port the Siri voice assistant feature to other iOS devices. ( 43 comments )
Rumor: Google prepping 'Majel' Android voice assistant to counter Apple's Siri
Tue, Dec 13, 2011 - A new unverified report claims Google is working on its own voice recognition assistant for Android, drawing its "Majel" codename from the voice of the on-board computer in Star Trek. ( 181 comments )
Apple's iOS 5 boosts Twitter signups 25%, Wolfram Alpha searches by 20x
Thu, Dec 8, 2011 - Apple's release of iOS 5 for both new devices and iPhones dating back to 2009 has had a significant impact on its integration partners, with Twitter noting a 25 percent increase in new accounts and Wolfram Alpha stating that Siri boosted its query volume 20 fold, disrupting the status quo in search and web services. ( 16 comments )
Apple hiring more Siri engineers, working on evolving API, features, languages
Tue, Dec 6, 2011 - Apple has at least two job postings open for "iOS Software Engineers" that describe work on the Siri voice assistant user interface and the development of an Application Programing Interface, indicating continued work on the new feature. Three additional job listings involve porting Siri to other languages, something readers have noted Apple has already collected voice samples for among native speakers. ( 41 comments )
iPhone 4S is Apple's most popular phone yet with 96% satisfaction rate
Thu, Dec 1, 2011 - The iPhone 4S carries the highest customer satisfaction ratings of any Apple smartphone yet, with a new survey finding that 96 percent of users consider themselves satisfied with their purchase. ( 53 comments )
Apple defends Siri abortion, birth control omissions as unintentional
Wed, Nov 30, 2011 - After rights groups criticized Apple for Siri's inability to field requests regarding abortion clinics and birth control, a company spokesperson has said the omissions were "not intentional," while reminding that the service is still in beta. ( 98 comments )
Siri clones demonstrate vast technical lead Apple enjoys with iPhone 4S software
Tue, Nov 29, 2011 - Siri, the automated personal assistance feature Apple acquired and integrated into iPhone 4S, has attracted lots of comparisons with apps or system services for alternative mobile platforms, but none come close to doing what Siri can. ( 106 comments )
Microsoft says Windows Phones have had Siri-like functionality for over a year
Wed, Nov 23, 2011 - Microsoft's Craig Mundie said that the iPhone's Siri voice recognition software is not new technology as a similar system has been available on the Windows Phone for over a year, and claims Apple marketed the capability to shift focus away from the iPhone 4S's lack of new features. ( 145 comments )
Investigation into Siri reveals how the iPhone 4S service talks to Apple
Mon, Nov 14, 2011 - A mobile developer investigating Apple's Siri voice assistant has dissected the service's protocol to develop tools for playing with the service outside of the iPhone 4S. ( 32 comments )
Hong Kong sees iPhone 4S frenzy even without Siri support for Chinese
Fri, Nov 11, 2011 - The entire stock of iPhone 4S units sold out on launch day in Hong Kong in just under three hours, even though Apple's Siri voice recognition doesn't work with the Chinese language. ( 31 comments )
Amazon buys voice recognition startup Yap to counter Apple's Siri
Wed, Nov 9, 2011 - As competition between Amazon and Apple in the mobile devices market continues to grow, the online retailer has purchased a voice-to-text company called Yap. ( 24 comments )
Siri raise-to-speak feature uses modified iPhone 4S proximity sensor
Wed, Nov 9, 2011 - One previously undiscovered change in the iPhone 4S versus the iPhone 4 is a new infrared proximity sensor that enables the raise-to-speak feature used by Siri voice recognition. ( 37 comments )
Apple confirms no current plans to bring Siri to older devices
Tue, Nov 8, 2011 - Apple's engineering unit has reportedly confirmed that the company currently has "no plans" to support its Siri personal assistant feature on older devices, according to a person familiar with the matter. ( 58 comments )
iPhone 4S preorders sell out in Hong Kong after 10 minutes
Mon, Nov 7, 2011 - After becoming available for preorder in Hong Kong last Friday, the iPhone 4S sold out almost immediately, once again demonstrating Apple's continued success in China. ( 29 comments )
Google Chairman tells US senators Apple's Siri could pose 'competitive threat'
Sat, Nov 5, 2011 - Eric Schmidt, Google's chairman and former chief executive, admitted to the U.S. Senate antitrust subcommittee that Apple's new Siri personal assistant technology is a "significant development" in search and could pose a threat to his company's core business. ( 233 comments )
Apple's Siri seen cutting Google out of valuable mobile ad views
Fri, Nov 4, 2011 - Apple's new Siri voice control on the iPhone 4S can answer questions, access information and deliver search results without displaying any advertising, which one analysis says will hurt search providers like Google. ( 91 comments )
iPhone 4S restart appears to resolve Siri availability for some
Thu, Nov 3, 2011 - iPhone 4S users suffering from an inability to access Siri voice assistance can try to resolve the issue by performing a device restart, something that has helped some users to fix temporary issues. ( 19 comments )
Apple says Amazon Kindle Fire will further fragment Android
Thu, Nov 3, 2011 - Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook and Chief Financial Officer Peter Oppenheimer recently indicated they are not concerned by Amazon's forthcoming $199 Kindle Fire tablet, as they believe it will only serve to fragment the Google Android platform. ( 130 comments )
Apple's Siri personal assistant a driving force in selling iPhone 4S
Wed, Nov 2, 2011 - Apple's sales records in selling the new iPhone 4S, accompanied by record launch figures announced by AT&T, Verizon and Sprint, is largely attributable to its signature Siri feature for natural voice processing, an analyst notes. ( 32 comments )
Tests find Apple's Siri uses average of 63KB in data per query
Wed, Nov 2, 2011 - Though Siri on the iPhone 4S requires a data connection to operate, testing of Apple's new voice control service has found that it uses a small average of 63KB per query. ( 35 comments )
Jailbreak hack enables Siri on iPhone 4, 4th-gen iPod touch
Sun, Oct 30, 2011 - Hackers have succeeded in bringing a limited port of Apple's new Siri voice assistant feature onto "jailbroken" versions of the iPhone 4 and the fourth-generation iPod touch, though they have noted that the workaround is not ready for a public release. ( 168 comments )
Apple rumored to take on Google's 3D maps with superior technology
Sat, Oct 29, 2011 - Evidence continues to point to Apple actively developing a 3D mapping surface through a combination of acquisitions and in-house development, with recent rumors suggesting that the iPhone maker has acquired a Swedish 3D mapping company. ( 153 comments )
Siri co-founder leaves Apple following iPhone 4S launch
Mon, Oct 24, 2011 - The co-founder and CEO of Siri, responsible for developing the voice recognition technology in the iPhone 4S, has departed Apple on "amicable" terms. ( 43 comments )
Apple focuses on Siri with first iPhone 4S TV ad
Fri, Oct 21, 2011 - Television networks have begun airing the first commercial for the iPhone 4S, with the advertisement focusing primarily on the new device's Siri virtual personal assistant feature. ( 53 comments )
Android, Windows Phone bosses downplay Apple's Siri threat
Thu, Oct 20, 2011 - Google Android boss Andy Rubin and Microsoft's Windows Phone head Andy Lees have both publicly criticized Apple's new Siri voice assistant and questioned its usefulness. ( 224 comments )
In depth review: Apple's iPhone 4S running iOS 5
Wed, Oct 19, 2011 - Apple's iPhone 4S, at first glance, seems largely to be a refreshed iPhone 4. It is, but it also is not, thanks to three powerful new features that transform what has been the world's most popular smartphone into a vastly improved new version of itself. ( 62 comments )
Siri development team one of the largest groups at Apple
Mon, Oct 17, 2011 - The personality and sense of humor of Siri, the new voice control technology found in the iPhone 4S, was a carefully thought out decision made by one of the largest software teams at Apple. ( 50 comments )
First Look: Using iPhone 4S with Siri voice assistant (with videos)
Fri, Oct 14, 2011 - Most of the new features in iOS 5 simply run faster on the iPhone 4S, but one major new feature is exclusive to the new model: Siri voice assistant. Here's a look at how it works in action, responding to a variety of requests. ( 220 comments )
Siri functionality limited outside US, but Apple promises updates in 2012
Fri, Oct 14, 2011 - Though the iPhone 4S launched in a total of seven countries on Friday, only users in the U.S. have access to Siri's Maps and businesses integration, while international users will gain more functionality in 2012. ( 39 comments )
Inside Apple's iPhone 4S and its A5 CPU: 'S' is for Speed
Wed, Oct 12, 2011 - The voice recognition technology and improved camera in Apple's iPhone 4S are made possible by the custom-built dual-core A5 processor that powers the handset. ( 17 comments )
Inside Apple's iPhone 4S and its 8MP camera: 'S' is for Shutter
Tue, Oct 11, 2011 - The iPhone 4S sports a higher-resolution 8-megapixel camera, but beyond the pixels is a greatly improved lens that will allow for faster picture taking, and image stabilization when shooting 1080p video. ( 53 comments )
iPhone 4S delivered early in Germany, packaging & Siri shown off
Tue, Oct 11, 2011 - One customer in Germany has been delivered an iPhone 4S early, offering a first glimpse at the packaging of the handset as well as screenshots from the device. ( 61 comments )
Inside Apple's iPhone 4S: 'S' is for Siri voice recognition
Mon, Oct 10, 2011 - Apple will bring voice control to the next level with this week's launch of the iPhone 4S, leveraging its acquired Siri technology to allow users to perform complex tasks by simply speaking aloud. ( 141 comments )
Apple's iPhone 4S event seen lacking 'panache,' allowing Android to gain
Wed, Oct 5, 2011 - The new iPhone 4S will help Apple continue to gain smartphone market share worldwide, but the updated hardware is not enough to slow the growth of Google's Android platform, one analyst believes. ( 280 comments )
Siri voice assistant technology distinguishes iPhone 4S
Tue, Oct 4, 2011 - Apple's acquisition of Siri has resulted in a standout feature for iPhone 4S that promises to change how users interact with mobile devices. ( 193 comments )
Apple's iPhone 4S coming Oct. 14 with Siri voice control and 4G-like speeds
Tue, Oct 4, 2011 - Apple's newest smartphone, the iPhone 4S, is a world phone powered by the company's speedy A5 processor, and features a new antenna design that can allow file transfers up to twice as fast as its predecessor, as well as voice recognition functionality for a new handsfree experience. ( 641 comments )
