Apple voice assistant Siri was first integrated into the iPhone 4S in October 2011 and celebrated its 10th birthday last month. Sparking a trend for smart voice assistants, Siri has drastically changed how we interact with technology.
It’s possible that many of you don’t remember the beginning of Siri. So, let’s take a look at how Siri emerged, what phases it went through and its future. . .
History of Siri
Siri was naturally very different in 2011. It originally launched as an app for iOS in February 2010. The Siri app was a spinoff of the SRI International Center for Artificial Intelligence and an offshoot of CALO funded by the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. Dag Kittlaus was the product of an artificial intelligence project developed by Tom Gruber and Adam Cheyer that sought to integrate numerous AI technologies into a cognitive assistant.
It was named after a colleague of Kittlaus in Norway and means “beautiful woman who leads you to victory” in Norwegian. Other sources mention that it means “secret” in Swahili.
Siri was acquired by Apple in April 2010. This was an acquisition made by Steve Jobs, who passed away on October 5, 2011, the day after the iPhone 4S was announced. The iPhone 4S, a very important milestone in Apple’s history, was introduced on October 4, 2011, along with the beta version of Siri.
Who Voices Siri?
Siri has had a few different voices over the years. In its early days until iOS 7 in September 2013, the voice of voice actor and former backing singer of Roy Orbison and Burt Bacharach Susan Bennett was used. Apple has never confirmed this information, but Bennett has proven to be Siri, with the claim also proven by an American forensic expert.
The original British male voice was provided by Jon Briggs, a former tech journalist who, like Bennett, was unaware that his recordings would one day be used that way.
After the early days of Siri, voices changed with iOS 11, using new voices that cover different personalities and expressions to make the assistant’s responses sound more human and natural. Since the iOS 14.5 update of 2021, Siri also no longer offers a default voice, we can choose.
What Was Siri Like 10 Years Ago?
In 2011, Siri wasn’t as refined as it is now. While the voice assistant felt like a real game changer at the time, it was also somewhat cumbersome. After a few seconds of waiting, Siri was ready to use, although it looked a lot less elegant than it does now. When you wanted to send a message, ask what the weather would be like, or set an alarm, Siri was able to fulfill these basic requests.
The downside was that he was very picky about how you expressed your concern. Like many older smart assistants, Siri didn’t understand the complexity of human language. That’s why in 2011, you had to use a very clear tone of voice when speaking to Siri.
Despite this, Siri was the best voice recognition software on the market at the time, with clear potential for the future.
Criticism of Siri
Siri actually came to this day on a bumpy road. For example, there was a time when Apple was in trouble. Users with different accents, such as Scottish, Boston, and South American English, spewed anger at the company for not being able to understand them from Siri.
Another interesting complaint that arose in the USA. . . Siri has been criticized by organizations like the ACLU after it was found not to provide information on the location of birth control or abortion centers nearby. Sometimes he would refer users to pregnancy centers instead. Fast Company realized in 2016 that it would confuse the word “abortion” with “adoption,” even though Apple updated Siri to offer a “more comprehensive list of Planned Parenthood facilities” in the US.
Today’s Siri is much better at understanding and interpreting what a user is saying. Now he’s able to split a bill or calculate a tip, check out HomeKit products, identify songs, solve equations, assist with Apple Maps navigation and directions, and even send money via Apple Pay. Most new Apple features also integrate well with Siri. He even makes jokes, tells jokes, and can sing rhymes.
Since iOS 11, Siri supports language translation and more third-party actions, in addition to handling follow-up questions.
In addition to its original home on iPhones and iPads, Siri is now an active companion for macOS and watchOS. It can warn you if you are late for a scheduled meeting. When Siri realizes that you are late, you can call the person you are meeting with and let them know.
Since iOS 15, speech processing and personalization are now done on the device, making it faster at processing commands than via the cloud. Also, Siri has become much more secure, with most voice requests being kept entirely on the device in question. This system, which can learn the most interacted people and new words written, can become even smarter with each update.
Which Devices Are Compatible With Siri?
Ever since Siri was added to the iPhone 4S, it’s available on almost every Apple device you can think of.
This includes all iPhones since iPhone 4S, all iPads since June 2012, iPod Touch, Apple TV, standalone Siri Remote, as well as Macs and AirPods since September 2016. There is also Siri support on HomePods since February 2018. In addition, CarPlay users can talk to their cars via Siri to complete many tasks.
What’s in the Future for Siri?
So what might be next for Siri? While it’s much more accurate than it used to be, frankly, we all hope for more precise accuracy and ability to understand what we’re saying.
However, we think there’s more to come to Siri than that. A patent that surfaced earlier this year suggested that Apple is investigating how to detect environmental noise levels and user voice patterns so that Siri can respond with an appropriate shout or whisper when needed. Currently, unlike Alexa it can’t tell when the volume needs to be adjusted, and it’s a bit awkward in some scenarios.
We also expect to see the ability to access and engage with multiple apps and services at once, making Siri an all-in-one digital assistant as always.
More customization features, much like Alexa’s system of voice profiles, also seem likely, especially for devices used by entire households.
A more futuristic trait might be the ability to detect emotion in one’s voice. Noticing stress can be an ideal time for Siri to suggest some mindfulness exercises, or talking through tears might even lead to the suggestion to call the emergency services or just a trusted friend.
Whatever happens next, it’s clear that Siri isn’t going anywhere, and the next 10 years look pretty promising in how voice assistants can help us make life easier.
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