100% this, the internet makes memes about it for god sake.
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Should Apple Kill Siri and Start Over?
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I always found Siri toy-like, and not really smart enough; Siri wasn't even as intuitive as the old Newton Scroll app was. It couldn't even provide several factoids in a weather forecast from the same prompt - and I tried every combination, from conversational to pedantic to technical. Nada. Had to ask for chance of precipitation and temperature range in two separate prompts. "I'm sorry, I can provide only one weather fact at a time." Then years later, I found Siri would respond to my usual test prompt to "Get today's weather," by speaking a sensibly complete forecast, instead of showing on screen a stupid graphic which I had no interest in looking at (thus ASKING SIRI... grrrr... I'm gatting mad at it all over again.)
On the other hand, no constant-listening agent can be secure. If it's listening for a trigger prompt, ITS LISTENING. So, **** that entirely. There's no way for common folk to know what iOS is up to (with SIRI or any other subsystem). Sophisticated organizations routinely crack iOS and devices open to audit such operation in real time (but they classify their findings for espionage "sources and methods", or sell them as malware exploits). Those IOCs (indicators of compromise) echo through the web like thunder in a broad valley.
* Back in the day: Phrase commonly dispensed when you're old-AF and Siri cannot understand your search request because your teeth are stewing in a mug of Efferdent.
On the other hand, no constant-listening agent can be secure. If it's listening for a trigger prompt, ITS LISTENING. So, **** that entirely. There's no way for common folk to know what iOS is up to (with SIRI or any other subsystem). Sophisticated organizations routinely crack iOS and devices open to audit such operation in real time (but they classify their findings for espionage "sources and methods", or sell them as malware exploits). Those IOCs (indicators of compromise) echo through the web like thunder in a broad valley.
I like "IRIS" but that stands for "Integrated Raster Imaging System", the acronym for which was a trademark of Silicon Graphics International back in the day*. SGI failed into Chapter 11 a couple times with a couple other identities. They ended up suing Apple over some junk back in the day*. IIRC, HP bought the moldering remains back in the day*. So, no, it prolly won't be IRIS.
* Back in the day: Phrase commonly dispensed when you're old-AF and Siri cannot understand your search request because your teeth are stewing in a mug of Efferdent.
No.
Siri is just a marketing name, though. So if Apple comes out with something "better" they can still call it Siri.
For my part, Siri works just fine with the little I ask of it: weather, sports scores, turning my lights on and off. I don't need a personal valet, just something to save me from getting up every now and then.
Y'all need to remember that JARVIS is science fiction. (And even my Google Nest speakers don't work as well as Siri for some requests.)
Siri is just a marketing name, though. So if Apple comes out with something "better" they can still call it Siri.
For my part, Siri works just fine with the little I ask of it: weather, sports scores, turning my lights on and off. I don't need a personal valet, just something to save me from getting up every now and then.
Y'all need to remember that JARVIS is science fiction. (And even my Google Nest speakers don't work as well as Siri for some requests.)
This is huge. Since you seemingly have no idea who Jim Dalrymple is let me tell you.
Jim Dalrymple has never once been critical of Apple for anything. He's also a music artist and an audiophile so that helps explain his eight Homepods. He is what some would call the ultimate Apple fanboy - Think Rene Richie or iJustine times 1000. So when Jim says something like this it tells you just how ****** Siri truly is.
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I couldn’t care less. Siri, or any other voice assistant, is just unusable and will always stay like that for people from West Flanders.
In 1998, prior to having a mobile phone, I used the QuickTalk microphone and QuickTalk voice recognition to work my Mac clone on MacOS 8.x. It worked as well as Siri works today. It's when you ask Siri to do more that it messes up.
I don't need a lot but it would be helpful if my phone assistant had the artificial intelligence to tell me more than "I don't know how to do that."
I know we all hate Siri.... and "she" is a big joke.... but I think I'd prefer them to just fix the bloody thing rather than give us a new name.
Are we talking about the same Apple here? This is the antithesis of modern day Apple.
For me it comes down to privacy. I accept that Siri is limited because it is not being trained on every user's data. Yes, I'd like it to be more intelligent but not at the expense of privacy.
However, I do think it has gotten worse. Command failure rate had definitely gone up, things it did easily in the past now don't always work. If it just did the simple things consistently I'd be happy. Sometimes it doesn't even activate, like it's ignoring me and I have to say Siri again. Sometimes it wont respond to my wife at all and she asks me to say it instead. If I ask it to turn on a light, I want it to turn on a light, not play some random song.
It's like its been programmed to just guess if it hasn't recognised the command properly instead of just saying "Sorry, I didn't hear that properly." like a real person would. Like the programmers have adjusted the minimum match percentage or something e.g. from 80% to 50%.
My biggest gripe is that if I say "turn on the living room light" it often turns everything in the living room on. Why would anyone want to do that?
One more: I have a shortcut that asks for a number. If I use Siri and say "4". It always parses it as "for" and so doesn't work. I've had to do a work around and say 5 instead and change it to a 4 with an IF statement. I shouldnt have to do that, the speech to text part of Siri should place more weight in matching a number if a number is what is requested. 🤦♂️
However, I do think it has gotten worse. Command failure rate had definitely gone up, things it did easily in the past now don't always work. If it just did the simple things consistently I'd be happy. Sometimes it doesn't even activate, like it's ignoring me and I have to say Siri again. Sometimes it wont respond to my wife at all and she asks me to say it instead. If I ask it to turn on a light, I want it to turn on a light, not play some random song.
It's like its been programmed to just guess if it hasn't recognised the command properly instead of just saying "Sorry, I didn't hear that properly." like a real person would. Like the programmers have adjusted the minimum match percentage or something e.g. from 80% to 50%.
My biggest gripe is that if I say "turn on the living room light" it often turns everything in the living room on. Why would anyone want to do that?
One more: I have a shortcut that asks for a number. If I use Siri and say "4". It always parses it as "for" and so doesn't work. I've had to do a work around and say 5 instead and change it to a 4 with an IF statement. I shouldnt have to do that, the speech to text part of Siri should place more weight in matching a number if a number is what is requested. 🤦♂️
I’m not quite sure they should kill off Siri, but they really need to rework her and make her more efficient. I remember years ago that she was awfully terrible. Now it’s just terrible. So there has been some progress. But the Removal of Siri I wouldn’t say I would agree. But I definitely think they should be doing more research and development with the Siri AI.
Depends on how many rooms you have. I live in a one bedroom apartment and I have 2, one in the living area and one in the bedroom. I'd get another one for the bathroom if I wasn't concerned with water damage.
I have no problem with the use of the name "Siri". When Apple changed it so I could just say "Siri", to me, it got easier to trigger and I have not had a problem with Siri kicking in by accident. I use Siri in my car through carplay with no problem in fact when a text comes in the interaction through carplay is seamless.
I have Google Assistants in my house (I used to use Alexa devices but have since removed them). The Google assistants are better because the responses seem to be more in-depth. In the end, though there are many times the Google Assistant has misinterpreted what I have said. I almost think that Google Assistant gets the same number of things wrong as Siri.
So it would be great if Generative AI is really incorporated into Siri. I assume at some point Generative AI will be incorporated into Google Assistant.
I look forward to a natural and continuous conversation with the assistants whether it be Google or Siri.
I have Google Assistants in my house (I used to use Alexa devices but have since removed them). The Google assistants are better because the responses seem to be more in-depth. In the end, though there are many times the Google Assistant has misinterpreted what I have said. I almost think that Google Assistant gets the same number of things wrong as Siri.
So it would be great if Generative AI is really incorporated into Siri. I assume at some point Generative AI will be incorporated into Google Assistant.
I look forward to a natural and continuous conversation with the assistants whether it be Google or Siri.
I only use Siri for two things to call someone or the scores of a game. Works for me but I'm leaving apple anyway so🤷🏾♂️
You seem to be limited by your own imagination. I want my virtual assistant to be smart: learn my habits, know me.
If I get into the car she should know where I’m going and what I want to listen to, she should remind me about things I’m about to forget, she should make suggestions to make my life better.
Why does my HomePod not inform me at the breakfast table I should leave early because of traffic? Why can’t she suggest me to reply to messages I’m about to forget?
The list is ENDLESS.
This is Apple’s problem in a nutshell. There so many hidden and convoluted advanced features to protect basic users from tech-fobia, the advanced users never knows about them. Although, I’m not sure you’re joking…
1. When I ask a question, I expect an answer, not "I found this on the web".
2. It should at least be able to handle Apple functions on my iPhone correctly.
3. Don't give me that "this functionality is not available in your region" ********.
4. Be more 2024 and less 2011.
