OPINIONiPhone it still takes over your whole device. It’s visual
distinction that sends a clear message – Siri isn’t a
part of what you’re doing, it’s something you stop
what you’re doing to use.
It’s also blissfully unaware of the context of what
you’re doing at the time. I should be able to have
any web page open and ask Siri to, for example,
“Translate this page into Spanish.” Or select a word
in any app, in any language, and ask, “What does this
word mean?” to get a definition. If I have the Calendar
app open to a specific day, I should be able to tell
Siri, “Make an event for 6pm to get drinks with Susie,”
and it will know by context to put it on that day of
my calendar, rather than today.
Queries and commands to Siri should understand
the context of anything on my screen. If I’m watching
a movie trailer on YouTube, I should be able to say,
“Buy tickets to this,” and get nearby movie ticket
results for that particular film.
This works in very limited capacity today. For
example, if I’m looking at an iMessage conversation
with my wife, I can say, “Where is she?” and my phone
will open to her results in Find My Friends, because I
have her added there. A true next-gen Siri should seek
to draw proper context from anything on my iPhone
or iPad’s display, in addition to the ambient sound,
location – the full suite of sensor data.The Siri experience needs a dramatic overhaul
Google may not sell as many Pixel phones as Apple
does iPhones. The future of Apple may be services, not
just hardware. But Apple would be well-advised to lookOPINION
iPhoneitstilltakesoveryourwholedevice.It’svisual
distinctionthatsendsaclearmessage–Siriisn’ta
part ofwhatyou’redoing,it’ssomethingyoustop
whatyou’redoingtouse.
It’salsoblissfullyunawareofthecontextofwhat
you’redoingatthetime.Ishouldbeabletohave
anywebpageopenandaskSirito,forexample,
“TranslatethispageintoSpanish.”Orselectaword
inanyapp,inanylanguage,andask,“Whatdoesthis
wordmean?”togetadefinition.IfIhavetheCalendar
appopentoa specificday,Ishouldbeabletotell
Siri,“Makeaneventfor6pmtogetdrinkswithSusie,”
anditwillknowbycontexttoputitonthatdayof
my calendar,ratherthantoday.
QueriesandcommandstoSirishouldunderstand
thecontextofanythingonmyscreen.IfI’mwatching
a movietraileronYouTube,Ishouldbeabletosay,
“Buy ticketstothis,”andgetnearbymovieticket
resultsforthatparticularfilm.
Thisworksinverylimitedcapacitytoday.For
example,ifI’mlookingataniMessageconversation
withmywife,Icansay,“Whereisshe?”andmyphone
willopentoherresultsinFindMyFriends,becauseI
haveheraddedthere.Atruenext-genSirishouldseek
todrawpropercontextfromanythingonmyiPhone
oriPad’sdisplay,inadditiontotheambientsound,
location–thefullsuiteofsensordata.TheSiriexperienceneedsa dramaticoverhaul
GooglemaynotsellasmanyPixelphonesasApple
doesiPhones.ThefutureofApplemaybeservices,not
justhardware.ButApplewouldbewell-advisedtolook