apple set to expand siri
Last Updated : GMT 06:49:16
Arab Today, arab today
Arab Today, arab today
Last Updated : GMT 06:49:16
Arab Today, arab today

Apple set to expand Siri

Arab Today, arab today

Arab Today, arab today Apple set to expand Siri

Apple Inc
San Francisco - Arab Today

Apple Inc. is expected to announce plans this week to make its Siri voice assistant work with a larger variety of apps, as the technology company looks to counter the runaway success of Amazon.com Inc.’s competing Alexa service.
But the Cupertino, California company is likely to stick to its tested method of focusing on a few features and trying to perfect them, rather than casting as wide a net as possible, according to engineers and artificial intelligence (AI) industry insiders.
Currently, Apple’s Siri works with only six types of apps: Ride-hailing and sharing; messaging and calling; photo search; payments; fitness; and auto infotainment systems. At the company’s annual developer conference next week, it is expected to add to those categories.
Some industry-watchers have also predicted Apple will announce hardware similar to Amazon’s Echo device for the home, which has been a hot-seller recently. Apple declined to comment.
But even if Siri doubles its areas of expertise, it will be a far cry from the 12,000 or so tasks that Amazon.com’s Alexa can handle.
The difference illustrates a strategic divide between the two tech rivals. Apple is betting that customers will not use voice commands without an experience similar to speaking with a human and so it is limiting what Siri can do in order to make sure it works well.
Amazon puts no such restrictions on Alexa, wagering that the voice assistant with the most “skills,” its term for apps on its Echo assistant devices, will gain a loyal following, even if it sometimes makes mistakes and takes more effort to use.
The clash of approaches is coming to a head as virtual assistants that respond to voice commands become a priority for the leading tech companies, which want to find new ways of engaging customers and make more money from shopping and online services.
Now, an iPhone user can say, “Hey Siri, I’d like a ride to the airport” or “Hey Siri, order me a car,” and Siri will open the Uber or Lyft ride service app and start booking a trip.
Apart from some basic home and music functions, Alexa needs more specific directions, using a limited set of commands such as “ask” or “tell.” For example, “Alexa, ask Uber for a ride,” will start the process of summoning a car, but “Alexa, order me an Uber” will not, because Alexa does not make the connection that it should open the Uber “skill.”
After some setup, Alexa can order a pizza from Domino’s, while Siri cannot get a pie because food delivery is not — so far — one of the categories of apps that Apple has opened up to Siri.
“In typical Apple fashion, they’ve allowed for only a few use cases, but they do them very well,” said Charles Jolley, chief executive of Ozlo, maker of an intelligent assistant app.
Apple spokeswoman Trudy Muller said the company does not comment on its plans for developers.
Amazon said in a statement: “Our goal is to make speaking with Alexa as natural and easy as possible, so we’re looking at ways to improve this over time.”
Apple’s narrower focus could become a problem, said Matt McIlwain, a venture capitalist with Seattle-based Madrona Venture Group.
The potential of Apple’s original iPhone did not come to light until thousands of developers started building apps. McIlwain said he expects Apple to add new categories at its Worldwide Developers Conference this week, but not nearly enough to match Alexa’s number of skills.
“To attract developers in the modern world, you need a platform,” McIlwain said. “If Apple does not launch a ‘skills store,’ that would be a mistake.”
Neither Siri nor Alexa has a clear path to making money. Siri works as an additional tool for controlling traditional apps and Apple pays money to owners of those apps. Alexa’s skills are free and developers are not paid.
At the moment, because of their limits, voice apps are “a side dish, not the entree,” according to Oren Etzioni, CEO of the Allen Institute for Artificial Intelligence.
Amazon was wise to not commit to an economic model at such an early stage, Etzioni said. “Once a successful economic model for developers emerges, people are going to gravitate to it.”

Source: Arab News

arabstoday
arabstoday

Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

apple set to expand siri apple set to expand siri

 



Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

apple set to expand siri apple set to expand siri

 



GMT 20:28 2017 Monday ,13 February

EgyptAir to receive second next-generation Boeing

GMT 05:13 2017 Thursday ,16 February

Central bankers take up arms against protectionism

GMT 12:53 2017 Friday ,13 October

S&P warns of Catalan recession if crisis drags

GMT 13:37 2017 Thursday ,16 March

Smith leads Australia's revival in Ranchi test

GMT 18:39 2017 Tuesday ,11 April

Comedian John Bishop returns to Dubai

GMT 21:08 2017 Tuesday ,31 January

Motorcity honoured as ‘Distributor Champion’

GMT 00:14 2017 Tuesday ,28 February

Mohammad receives Pakistani Chief of Army Staff

GMT 23:37 2017 Tuesday ,15 August

Civilians Killed in Deadly Blast in Afghanistan

GMT 08:27 2011 Tuesday ,07 June

3 women charged with robbing vets\' graves

GMT 20:01 2014 Wednesday ,10 December

27 hard questions you need to ask

GMT 16:44 2017 Monday ,25 December

DFM welcomes listing of AWTAD on "Second Market"

GMT 23:23 2017 Sunday ,24 December

Abdullah bin Zayed meets Canada's Minister of Defence

GMT 18:44 2016 Sunday ,04 September

Israel Strikes Northern Gaza Strip

GMT 18:17 2012 Friday ,18 May

Carmen Suleiman hits the books

GMT 09:32 2017 Wednesday ,20 December

Gayeon Lee appoints Dyelog

GMT 06:39 2014 Monday ,01 September

May 21 - June 20
Arab Today, arab today
 
 Arab Today Facebook,arab today facebook  Arab Today Twitter,arab today twitter Arab Today Rss,arab today rss  Arab Today Youtube,arab today youtube  Arab Today Youtube,arab today youtube

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2025 ©

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2025 ©

arabstoday arabstoday arabstoday arabstoday
arabstoday arabstoday arabstoday
arabstoday
بناية النخيل - رأس النبع _ خلف السفارة الفرنسية _بيروت - لبنان
arabstoday, Arabstoday, Arabstoday