At WWDC 2024, AI could make Siri the voice assistant Apple always wanted
What has been the general perception of Siri's functionality over the past 13 years?
The general perception of Siri's functionality over the past 13 years has been mixed. When Siri was first launched in 2011, it was hailed as a revolutionary feature that would change the way we interact with our devices. However, over the years, users have become increasingly frustrated with Siri's limitations and inabilities to perform tasks effectively.
Many users find Siri to be unreliable, often mishearing names, misunderstanding commands, and providing inaccurate responses. The assistant's tendency to fall back on web searches when unable to understand a request has also been criticized. As a result, Siri has largely been seen as a way to set timers or a feature to be avoided altogether.
Despite these shortcomings, Siri has seen improvements over the years, such as the introduction of "Hey Siri" hands-free mode, integration with Apple's HomeKit, and the ability to translate languages. With recent advancements in AI and large language models, there is hope that Siri may finally become the powerful and useful assistant it was initially envisioned to be. However, it remains to be seen if Apple can truly deliver on this promise.
What significant changes are rumored to be announced for Siri at the upcoming WWDC?
At the upcoming WWDC, significant changes are rumored to be announced for Siri. According to reports, Apple is planning a major AI overhaul for Siri in iOS 18. The update will let Siri control all individual features in apps for the first time, expanding the range of functions the personal assistant can perform. Siri will be able to do things like open specific documents, move a note from one folder to another, delete an email, summarize an article, email a web link, and open a particular news site in Apple News. Apple plans to use AI to analyze what people are doing on their devices, automatically enabling Siri features.
However, at launch, the new Siri functionality will be limited to Apple apps, and Siri will only be able to respond to one command at a time. Eventually, Apple wants Siri to be able to respond to multiple commands. The AI functionality coming to Siri will be processed on-device for basic tasks, but more advanced capabilities will rely on Apple's cloud servers.
On-device iOS 18 AI capabilities will largely require an iPhone 15 Pro or later to work, and an M1 or later for iPadOS 18 and macOS 15. Apple's AI servers will be powered by M2 Ultra and M4 chips, with Apple planning to use the Secure Enclave to "to help isolate the data being processed on its servers so that it can't be seen by the wider system or Apple."
In summary, the significant changes rumored to be announced for Siri at the upcoming WWDC include a major AI overhaul, increased app integration, and improved AI functionality for both basic and advanced tasks.
What were the initial expectations set by Apple when they launched Siri in 2011?
When Apple launched Siri in 2011 alongside the iPhone 4S, the company set high expectations for the voice assistant. They positioned Siri as a revolutionary feature that would allow users to interact with their devices more naturally and intuitively. In the launch event for the 4S, Apple's Phil Schiller said Siri was the best feature of the new device. The company made a series of compelling ads showing how users might use Siri for various tasks, such as setting reminders, checking the weather, and searching for information. The overall expectation was that Siri would be a useful, constant companion that could tackle a wide range of tasks and make users' lives easier by eliminating the need to navigate apps and menus.