Siri

Siri may have been a pioneer in the field of voice-based intelligent assistants, but competition in the field is now fierce. Google Assistant, Microsoft’s Cortana and Amazon’s Alexa are all aiming to take Siri’s crown.

The problem, however, is that many Apple owners are so deeply embedded in the ecosystem that there’s little risk of them switching platforms – especially not from an iPhone to an Android phone. So while Google Assistant in theory put Apple under pressure to improve Siri, in practice, not so much.

But if Google Assistant does indeed make it onto the iPhone this week as reported, that’s a new ballgame …

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An Apple patent published today describes using iMessages instead of voice to interact with Siri in environments when speaking wouldn’t be practical.

This could span both ends of the spectrum, from very noisy environments like construction sites, where your voice cannot be heard, to very quiet ones like libraries, where you would disturb people by speaking. It would also be useful for people who don’t feel comfortable talking to their phone in public …

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As someone who enjoys testing new gadgets, I’ve been very tempted at times to purchase and try both the Amazon Echo and Google Home voice assistant speakers. Rumors of an Apple version have convinced me to hold off, however, and it’s possible once again that we may soon see Apple’s take on the category.

Amazon Echo and Google Home both offer features that I’d like, but there are things I do with Siri on my iPhone and Apple Watch that only a Siri Speaker would offer. Here’s my Siri Speaker wishlist:

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As Apple is believed to be working on its own ‘Siri speaker‘ product, research firm eMarketer has predicted that the U.S. market for voice-controlled speakers will double this year.

The number of active U.S. users will more than double for the devices this year, to 35.6 million, eMarketer said.

Reuters reports that in the market currently dominated by Amazon and Google, there is currently a clear leader …

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Indian news network NDTV caught up with Apple’s SVP Marketing Phil Schiller for an interview after his visit to the new App Accelerator in Bengaluru.

The discussion touches on Schiller’s management of App Store and Apple’s developer ecosystem, Swift adoption and his thoughts on voice-only assistants like the Google Home or Amazon Echo. Whilst Schiller would not gave any praise to its competitor’s products, he did say that these kind of devices are convenient in some situations …

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KGI’s Ming-Chi Kuo has published an industry report today claiming that Apple will likely announce a Siri Speaker product (branding unknown, Kuo calls it ‘Apple’s first home AI product’) at WWDC in June. The device will compete with the Amazon Echo and go on sale in the second half of the year.

Kuo says Apple’s product will feature ‘excellent’ sound with seven tweeters and a subwoofer, and will be positioned as a more premium product than the Echo … with a higher price tag to match.

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Taking to Twitter, leaker Sonny Dickson has shared more alleged details on the rumored upcoming Siri speaker. Introducing some new concepts not previously shared, Dickson believes that the speaker could see its debut at this year’s WWDC.

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There are many ways to add HomeKit-connected lights to your home, allowing you to turn them on and off from your phone at a tap or with your voice using Siri. You can buy special Philips Hue bulbs, change wall switches with Lutron or Elgato, or plug in lamps to a smart plug socket.

The Koogeek Smart Socket is a different approach to the same problem. It puts an adaptor between your existing light fitting and bulb. All you have to do is screw it in. Keep reading after the jump for my full hands-on …

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Susan Bennett has told the story before of how she became the voice of Siri without realizing it – at the time, she thought she was making the recordings for an automated switchboard system. In fact, she didn’t even find out she had become Siri until a friend played with an iPhone and recognized her voice.

But in a new interview with Typeform, she has revealed more about how the process worked, including speaking nonsense phrases …

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A joint study by ad agencies J. Walter Thompson and Mindshare has suggested that Siri is seen as lagging behind other intelligent voice assistants like Amazon’s Alexa and Google Home.

Apple is a voice pioneer, having launched Siri in 2011, but is increasingly seen as a laggard. While it has integrated Siri into wearables (the Apple Watch and AirPod), its challenge is a comparative lack of machine-learning capabilities and user data to make a voice assistant intelligent. Its strategic focus on data privacy and security reflects this.

The study, based on the behaviors and attitudes of more than 1,000 UK smartphone owners, also provided a bunch of insights into who is using voice assistants and how …

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Allowing Siri access from the lock screen is a potential security threat that has, in the past, allowed someone to access personal data like photos. Additionally, Siri will respond to any command given by anyone when your device is unlocked.

Apple thinks it has a solution, using a combination of a special phrase and authenticating your unique voice to ensure that Siri responds to you and only to you …

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A four year old boy was able to call the emergency services after his mother lost consciousness, thanks to a combination of Touch ID and Siri.

Police report that the boy from just outside London first used his mother’s thumbprint to unlock her iPhone, then asked Siri to call 999 – the British equivalent of 911. Releasing a recording of the emergency call (below), they said that the boy’s actions enabled life-saving action to be taken …

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The battle between intelligent voice assistants is moving into hotel rooms, as Marriott International is testing both Siri and Alexa to decide which will control devices in at least some of its hotel rooms.

Bloomberg reports that the chain is putting the two platforms in a head-to-head test in its one of its Aloft-branded properties …

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Samsung’s announcement of its new upcoming Bixby personal assistant for its Galaxy S8 has once again started the chatter about Siri vs Alexa vs Google Assistant vs Bixby. If you were to read the latest comparisons, you might get the impression Siri is a bit behind the other guys, mainly because Amazon Echo is doing well as the first real standalone speaker product for a personal assistant, and Google Home is following closely behind with its new ‘Assistant’. But with what’s rumored to be in store for iPhone 8 from good sources, I think Siri and Apple’s standalone Siri speaker product will have some big advantages.

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Studies cited by the WSJ show that sexist attitudes are alive and well when it comes to preferences for gender in the voices of intelligent assistants.

An Indiana university study found that both men and women prefer a female voice, finding it welcoming, warm and nurturing. Microsoft and Amazon found the same thing in their own research. Even more tellingly, a Stanford University study reveals that preferences for male or female voices depend on the subject matter …

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