"Frankly, It's Concerning That Apple Is Still Advertising A Product As Flawed As Siri

[Chippiewill]

Every company blows it occasionally, even Apple.
When Apple rolled out its first cloud service, Mobile Me, a few years ago, the service sucked. It was hard to use, and it didn't work right.

Apple CEO Steve Jobs quickly apologized publicly for this and fired some of the people responsible.
Then Apple fixed Mobile Me and morphed it into iCloud.

Compare that behavior to Apple's reaction its current dud product, Siri.

Siri's voice recognition isn't very good, and her response times are often lousy. Basically, she just doesn't work very well.

And if Apple had just backed off Siri until they fixed it, this would have been fine. Again, everyone launches duds once in a while.

But Apple has not backed off.

nstead, Apple just launched a huge new iPhone 4S ad campaign centered around... Siri. The ads feature two celebrities, Samuel Jackson, and Zooey Deschanel, using Siri, and they show Siri working flawlessly.

We're guessing here, but we think it is highly unlikely that Apple would still be flogging Siri if Steve Jobs were still in charge of the company.
http://www.businessinsider.com/apple-siri-problems-2012-4?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=sai

It is an interesting assessment, I have to agree, steve would probably have overhauled siri quite extensively and worked on getting it fixed before getting the marketing department to spend all their time with it.

It's also worth noting that apple's stock has been dropping for quite a few days whilst the stock market has been holding fairly constant. Perhaps the hype machine is whirring down?

[Jordy]

Disagree, it's only had about 8 months at the moment and Apple take a while to develop their products so you've got to give them time (Especially with an app as complexed as Siri. There isn't a fundamental problem with the app it just needs improvements and more innovative features).

MobileMe was plugged by Apple for years before iCloud was launched. To give up on Siri already would just look arrogant especially when I imagine it will be resolved soon enough.

Remember when the original iPhone was launched and how useless that was, it took years for apps to be allowed and even longer for decent apps to be allowed. And now look at how good they are. Apple quite often release things which aren't "brilliant" at release but improve them drastically over time and I've every faith they will with Siri. The recognition and speed of it can be improved, and I've no doubt at some point third-party apps will be able to access it too.

What surprised me though is the iPhone 4S advert in the UK 2 months back showed the person using Google Maps to find businesses when that feature is only available in the US (for the moment), now that's just blatant false advertising. I'm surprised it was never flagged up.

I also hope that this isn't the start of everyone looking back to the days of Steve Jobs with rose-tinted glasses and how wonderful everything was when he was alive. To suggest Siri would have been handled differently under him is completely ridiculous. He was a good face of the company but it didn't all revolve around him. He also has made plans and predictions well into the future for Apple anyway.

People also need to come to terms with the fact Apple will go downhill in the next few years. The size of the company is enormous (leading tech firm, remarkable market share in areas, world's most valuable company by some accounts), it will peak very soon and it will be downhill from there. It isn't sustainable for any company to stay this big and successful for a long time, other companies will catch up and new ones will emerge. Think of Microsoft 15 years ago, completely untouchable at the top, enormous growth and market share and from then on it's all downhill from there. Similar things are happening with Google too so people need to come to terms with that as I've little doubt in a few years time the headlines will all be about how bad Apple is doing when in reality, it can't grow and be innovative forever.

[dbgtz]

Disagree, it's only had about 8 months at the moment and Apple take a while to develop their products so you've got to give them time (Especially with an app as complexed as Siri. There isn't a fundamental problem with the app it just needs improvements and more innovative features).

MobileMe was plugged by Apple for years before iCloud was launched. To give up on Siri already would just look arrogant especially when I imagine it will be resolved soon enough.

Remember when the original iPhone was launched and how useless that was, it took years for apps to be allowed and even longer for decent apps to be allowed. And now look at how good they are. Apple quite often release things which aren't "brilliant" at release but improve them drastically over time and I've every faith they will with Siri. The recognition and speed of it can be improved, and I've no doubt at some point third-party apps will be able to access it too.

What surprised me though is the iPhone 4S advert in the UK 2 months back showed the person using Google Maps to find businesses when that feature is only available in the US (for the moment), now that's just blatant false advertising. I'm surprised it was never flagged up.

I also hope that this isn't the start of everyone looking back to the days of Steve Jobs with rose-tinted glasses and how wonderful everything was when he was alive. To suggest Siri would have been handled differently under him is completely ridiculous. He was a good face of the company but it didn't all revolve around him. He also has made plans and predictions well into the future for Apple anyway.

People also need to come to terms with the fact Apple will go downhill in the next few years. The size of the company is enormous (leading tech firm, remarkable market share in areas, world's most valuable company by some accounts), it will peak very soon and it will be downhill from there. It isn't sustainable for any company to stay this big and successful for a long time, other companies will catch up and new ones will emerge. Think of Microsoft 15 years ago, completely untouchable at the top, enormous growth and market share and from then on it's all downhill from there. Similar things are happening with Google too so people need to come to terms with that as I've little doubt in a few years time the headlines will all be about how bad Apple is doing when in reality, it can't grow and be innovative forever.

But then you could argue that such a flawed, undeveloped product should not be sold?

Also at the advert with Google maps, it was on Watchdog one week.

[Jordy]

But then you could argue that such a flawed, undeveloped product should not be sold?

Also at the advert with Google maps, it was on Watchdog one week.Aha glad to hear, I had a right mind to contact them myselves. Such an amateur mistake to advertise a service not even available in the UK.

I suppose not releasing it at all may have been a better option but Siri improves the more you use it and it does function the vast majority of the time. It's not as if they've released a faulty service, they've just released a rather basic service which isn't that useful but people should take that into account when they buy the phone. Siri isn't actually doing anything wrong as such and neither are Apple. They'll also be able to gather stats on it now it's been released to help improve it and it's fair to say it's an improvement on the previous iOS Voice Control.

Just remember when the original iPhone was released (and first iPad I suppose) how basic and rubbish it was. It didn't have 3G, Bluetooth, apps or MMS. It worked (much like Siri) but was laughed at by most people at the time but it had the potential to be improved and eventually was. You can't just release something which is initially brilliant, it takes time (plus the ability to learn from mistakes).

[Chippiewill]

I suppose not releasing it at all may have been a better option but Siri improves the more you use it and it does function the vast majority of the time. It's not as if they've released a faulty service, they've just released a rather basic service which isn't that useful but people should take that into account when they buy the phone. The problem is their marketing for it, they shorten everything to make it look great and usable when used it's slow and impracticable.


Just remember when the original iPhone was released (and first iPad I suppose) how basic and rubbish it was. It didn't have 3G, Bluetooth, apps or MMS. It worked (much like Siri) but was laughed at by most people at the time but it had the potential to be improved and eventually was. You can't just release something which is initially brilliant, it takes time (plus the ability to learn from mistakes).
This is just like Apple though, they'll release a terrible product if they can get away with it. If they don't think they can though they actually work on it until it works properly and then release it and it's always awesome.

[Jordy]

The problem is their marketing for it, they shorten everything to make it look great and usable when used it's slow and impracticable.


This is just like Apple though, they'll release a terrible product if they can get away with it. If they don't think they can though they actually work on it until it works properly and then release it and it's always awesome.Terrible product is such an over-statement though, I think my previous posts have been quite reasonable about it. Of course the advert is sped up but it's hardly misrepresenting the feature, when people buy the phone they know what they're getting, a digital assistant to do basic tasks. If people buy the phone thinking that Siri will transform their phone experience then they're naive and that's their fault. Unfortunately voice control is never that quick and that's the burden of it, it's quicker to touch the screen and type than it is to speak in many cases so that's a flaw with voice technology in general, not just Siri.

Based on the past, I think it's fair to say Siri will be improved a lot over the next few years. If people expected anything more when they bought it then that's their fault, and sometimes it's the network operators fault anyway for not providing very fast or adequate 3G coverage.

[Chippiewill]

Terrible product is such an over-statement though, I think my previous posts have been quite reasonable about it. Of course the advert is sped up but it's hardly misrepresenting the feature, when people buy the phone they know what they're getting, a digital assistant to do basic tasks. If people buy the phone thinking that Siri will transform their phone experience then they're naive and that's their fault. Unfortunately voice control is never that quick and that's the burden of it, it's quicker to touch the screen and type than it is to speak in many cases so that's a flaw with voice technology in general, not just Siri.
Apple are generally regarded is innovators, it's hardly unrealistic for a consumer to think that Apple would "do it properly" and make it fast/responsive. And to speed it up is really terrible because it shows an entirely different usage pace, as it stands if you use siri you say something, wait a minute for it work out what you said and then have an awkward ten seconds waiting for it to respond. The adverts sort of imply that you can talk to it like a human being and getting instant results.

Apple only got away with it on launch because they implemented easter eggs like HAL9000 and distracted the people who check this stuff for a couple of months.


Based on the past, I think it's fair to say Siri will be improved a lot over the next few years. If people expected anything more when they bought it than that's their problem, and sometimes it's the network operators fault anyway for not providing very fast or adequate 3G coverage.

[Jordy]

Apple are generally regarded is innovators, it's hardly unrealistic for a consumer to think that Apple would "do it properly" and make it fast/responsive. And to speed it up is really terrible because it shows an entirely different usage pace, as it stands if you use siri you say something, wait a minute for it work out what you said and then have an awkward ten seconds waiting for it to respond. The adverts sort of imply that you can talk to it like a human being and getting instant results.

Apple only got away with it on launch because they implemented easter eggs like HAL9000 and distracted the people who check this stuff for a couple of months.You're just clutching at straws now, what joker would buy the iPhone 4S purely for Siri based on a 15 second advert? I've no sympathy for anyone who does. They should try it out and look into it beforehand. It's naive to think it could be done instantly and of course you have to take into account it's not going to be anywhere near as quick if you're not using a WiFi connection. And if the advert misrepresented it that badly then I'm sure they'd be A) Sued B) Ofcom/Advertising Standards would have something to say about it. All Apple adverts shows the iPhone doing things at ridiculous speeds, it's not meant to be a real representation. Go into a shop and demo the iPhone if you want to see how fast it really is. This is what your entire argument is based on, an advert.

Siri isn't brilliant but it isn't that bad, it does what you expect. And your conspiracy about a silly easter egg distracting all the technology journalists so they wouldn't give it a bad press is just laughable.

Maybe the iPod Nano released in 2007 got good press too cause they hired Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr to perform at the end of the Apple conference to "distract" journalists into giving them positive reviews?!

[peteyt]

You're just clutching at straws now, what joker would buy the iPhone 4S purely for Siri based on a 15 second advert? I've no sympathy for anyone who does. They should try it out and look into it beforehand. It's naive to think it could be done instantly and of course you have to take into account it's not going to be anywhere near as quick if you're not using a WiFi connection. And if the advert misrepresented it that badly then I'm sure they'd be A) Sued B) Ofcom/Advertising Standards would have something to say about it. All Apple adverts shows the iPhone doing things at ridiculous speeds, it's not meant to be a real representation. Go into a shop and demo the iPhone if you want to see how fast it really is. This is what your entire argument is based on, an advert.

Siri isn't brilliant but it isn't that bad, it does what you expect. And your conspiracy about a silly easter egg distracting all the technology journalists so they wouldn't give it a bad press is just laughable.

Maybe the iPod Nano released in 2007 got good press too cause they hired Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr to perform at the end of the Apple conference to "distract" journalists into giving them positive reviews?!

Sadly there are many members of the public that don't know a clue about technology and impulse buy so they could easily base the advert on what they thought they could get probably also noting the fact everyone (just about) seems to love the iPhone

[Metric1]

SIRI is a ****, I don't know what language you have to speak for her to understand but when anyone in my family tries to use it SIRI can't pick up our accent, it's so annoying. We don't even have a bad accent.

[GommeInc]

I'm still shocked Apple have stooped to a new low when it comes to advertising. Gone are the days of false advertising and lack-luster marketing methods, and "HELLO" sensationalist advertising using actors and feature-specific based adverts. Apple have become gradually worse when it comes to advertising, now that they are employing actors to shovel toot to anyone who worships the forbidden fruit. Siri obviously has potential, but to advertise what is undeniably a good phone by focusing on one novelty feature is pretty stupid. I hated Jobs with a passion, but at least he knew how to market a product.

[alede]

I have never had a problem with Siri, I use it around 20 times of the day. It's amazing.

I get no errors such as can't find what I am looking for. Obviously like most things works best with wifi but I have challenged it and it takes 2 seconds longer to search when I am connected to 3g which is nothing at all.

I mostly use it when I am on my bike so there is noise and still haven't had a problem.

Either you guys which is having the problems ain't speaking clearly or you just ain't using it properly.

[Recursion]

I have never had a problem with Siri, I use it around 20 times of the day. It's amazing.

I get no errors such as can't find what I am looking for. Obviously like most things works best with wifi but I have challenged it and it takes 2 seconds longer to search when I am connected to 3g which is nothing at all.

I mostly use it when I am on my bike so there is noise and still haven't had a problem.

Either you guys which is having the problems ain't speaking clearly or you just ain't using it properly.

Or voice recognition is so primitive it still can't understand accents, which has been the case for about the past 10 years.