When Will Siri Become Usable?

In this episode of Double Tap on YouTube, Steven Scott and Shaun Preece discuss their experiences and frustrations with Apple’s voice assistant, Siri, which they refer to as “Lady S” to avoid activating the assistant during their conversation. They highlight the issues they’ve encountered, such as Siri’s follow-up mode in iOS 17, which doesn’t allow users to turn it off and causes interruptions during voiceover usage. Steven had to switch to “Type to Siri” to disable the follow-up mode, but this removed the convenience of using the side button for voice commands.

They also discuss the upcoming iOS 18 and the rumours surrounding significant enhancements to Siri. They express hope that Apple will revamp Siri’s engine with a new machine learning system, as competitors like Google, Amazon, and OpenAI are making rapid advancements in AI. The hosts acknowledge that Apple’s commitment to user privacy may have slowed down Siri’s development since the company doesn’t mine user data to the same extent as others for improving its services.

The episode also touches on the potential for AI to revolutionise accessibility, allowing for easier access to information and control over devices through natural language processing. However, they share concerns that Apple may be falling behind in the AI space and the pressure for the company to showcase major improvements at the upcoming WWDC.

Transcript: https://doubletaponair.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/120-Siri.txt