Craig Mundie of Microsoft in an interview with Forbes said that Apple's Siri isn't new technology, and that they've focused on it due to the iPhone 4S's lack of features.
Microsoft's Chief Research and Strategy Officer, Craig Mundie, sat down for an interview with Forbes. On the topic of Apple's Siri, he touted the "TellMe" feature.
"The Tellme facility's been in the Windows 7 phone for more than a year," Mundie said. "So I mean I just think people are infatuated with Apple announcing [Siri]."
Microsoft's not the only one that has had advanced voice capabilities; Android has also had voice recognition tied into the OS, and the upcoming Ice Cream Sandwich software release has even more capability. Mundie went on to say that the reason that Apple "hammered on" the feature was to shift focus away from the fact that iPhone 4S didn't have many new features to distinguish it.
On the other hand, he praised Apple's ability to market the device. He even said that Microsoft could learn something from their approach.
Windows Phone 7 has been around for quite some time now, and Microsoft still doesn't have a strong presence in the mobile market. They've had had time changing from the old Windows Mobile 6 model that was aimed at Enterprise users to a new consumer-targeted platform. Mundie was optimistic for Microsoft, however, especially considering their partnership with Nokia.
Matthew Miller of ZDNet compared Apple's Siri with Google Voice Action on Android, Microsoft's TellMe in Windows Phone 7 and the cross-platform Vlingo application. He concluded:
Google Voice Actions, Windows Phone 7, and Vlingo are all very similar and the only real big functional advantage they have over Siri is the ability to launch applications. Other than that, Siri beats all the others with the conversational nature of the utility that helps refine actions and make your life easier.
He went on to add:
People who have not tried Siri really cannot understand the power and capability of it. [..]
[..] I don’t know about you, but the ability of Siri to continue the conversation and understand my INTENTis simply amazing and revolutionary. I honestly think we are just starting to see the beginning of a new smartphone user paradigm and unlike many people who have said the novelty of Siri will wear off I think people will start using it more and more and then not be able to use phones that don’t provide such assistance.
Mundie's ignorant comment suggests he has not used Siri.
[via Forbes]
It isn’t new we done it before Only they epically failed lol…
Sore loser sounds sore.
Thats BS. Just like apple didn’t create a touch screen phone. They just made it work like its supposed to. Nor did they invent apps or an app store, the just stream lined it. Now their hatin’ on siri. Microsoft just mad cuz people won’t buy their sh**ty phones.
All windows does is moan and sue/threatin every one thinks apple vs Samsung is bad people should read up on windows vs Linux it’s got to the point that windows will pressure hardware company’s to lock there systems from other oses….every hardware company running android and windows is under fire with microsft making threats..only things windows as been successfull at is the Xbox and a is that has copied every other os but with extra bugs and malware…and if folk think windows 8 is a new idea with loads of featured will I’m sorry it’s a rip of from kde interface done years ago by Linux
Where the period. It’s pain to read.
I am an Android user. Personally I am amazed by Siri and believe it’s total nonsense for someone from MS to imply that voice actions are anywhere near the level of Siri because they aren’t. I also found humor and truth in Rob’s comments. The last thing that I read online indicated MS makes more money from licensing to Android phone manufacturers than it does on phones that sell with it’s own OS.
I respect you android user. People need to stop being blind fanboys of things. I recognize android has many features iPhones don’t. And iPhones has some android does not. We may be the only logical people left.
I’ve got an iPhone 4s and rarely use Siri… At this point it gimmicky….
Could not agree with you more bazik the reason I dont use it more is it just doesnt understand what I say (Scottish Accent) even when I talk in a clear and proper manner
Hey, what about jailbreaking. Any news?
Iphone 4s is overpricing. Give a chance to other cheaper phones. Dont get apple iphone too popular. Haha. Compare still just a phone.
They’ve had had time changing from the old Windows Mobile 6 model that was aimed at Enterprise users to a new consumer-targeted platform. No need for had twice, thanks for the info btw…
I got the iPhone 4s and I’m a iPhone user since 3G but is true what they say! This has been around in other phones apple was the only one that did big campaign about it! And yes reason will be to make sure ppl dont notice that the new iPhone in fact does not have many different things from 4!
I’ve played with Siri, and I was not impressed.
and it’s a well known fact that other phone manufacturers have had those features for sometime.
I think I’ll stick with the onscreen keyboards, I feel less like a dick.
Soon Microsoft will also claim that they have made OS X in the 80s.
Any phone with “Microsoft” attached to it will ever be popular. I think the world learned its lesson with windows. If u like a buggy OS and getting hammered with viruses, then there is no need for WP7. U can just buy an Android phone
Siri can be a very usefull function. I agree that it is fairly limited right now but that’s because it is still in Beta. Because it is a server based app, and iOS can be updated from the device now, the is no limit to what future updated can do
I expressed my let down weeks ago when i first got 4s, siri is a let down. Ive had every thing from cells, to laptops & desktop interact with me for a long time now. Hell i use a program that controlls my house automated x-10 products by useing my voice. And the program doesnt sound much diff than siri to be honest. LOL!,…. But something dawned on me the other day, thinking bout this whole situation with 4s, guys jobs was dieing. Im sure he did know when he would pass, but i cant see how he wouldnt know it was comming soon. His medical leaves, who knows what he had done or went thru to try and aid his condition. So i was upset before, and i still dont care for siri. But as a iphone fan, To me it showed some real Dedication to his product. And he kept the wheels moving. And i cant ask for much more than that. Iphone will have to make huge strides with the next, and i believe they will. R.I.P– S.Jobs.
Add Siri to iPhone 4 and you have yourself and iPhone 4S. They haven’t added Siri to iPhone 4 because the sales rep would have a hard time identifying the difference between both phones. Great business plan Apple, let’s call the next IPhone 4S an IPhone 5 and just add “Siri+”
So the world phone part, the A5 processor, Camera (and I’m not saying this because its 8 mpx, that doesn’t mean squat) that is a significant step above the iPhone 4, completely improved antenna (that more than just alleviates the death grip issue [which was blown way out of proportion, IMO..but maybe I'm just in an area with solid reception])… are all additions mean nothing I presume. “They didn’t add any new features.” Yeah, they didn’t add a bigger screen or change the design…what new features do other phones even change that aren’t at the same level as the evolutionary features the iPhone 4S has? I would like to know (barring the addition of NFC in upcoming android phones).
Also, why do they have to change the design? The iPhone 4S is still one of the best looking phones on the market, and even though the screen is small compared to a lot of Android phones, it’s still crisper than a TON of other phones (only thing I feel that can come close is the Galaxy Nexus)…however the crispness is a preference and I recognize that.
Just to summarize, I feel that they didn’t have to change a lot this time around because the iPhone 4 was mostly behind on tech more than design. As for Siri being another feature added to sell the phone, yeah I agree…but its a pretty awesome feature.
Another dude brainwashed by apple. A5 chip? Like you can really tell the did fence between other chips GEEK. 99% of iPhone users don’t even know what the fu** is a A5 Chip. Fixed antenna? Yea so they sell u a phone with a fu**ed up antenna, to then sell the same phone with a fixed antenna, and TeCH D**ks like you buy it. Fu**ing loser. If that’s the case, they should upgrade everyone’s phone for free, for the fu**ed up antenna. Surprised Consumer affair hasn’t got involved. Talk about good looking phone, I’m afraid to even look at it so it won’t brake, the things so f**king fragile. Next remark you make, make f**king sense.. D**k Ryder
Bruski needs to lay off the brewski(s). Haha. You sure are one for accusing someone of not making sense. Read your own post. Yes, 99% of iPhone users can tell the difference in the PERFORMANCE of the A5.
I almost didn’t want to bother replying to this…but yes, the A5 chip gives you a ton of performance gains in a lot of process heavy (ESPECIALLY games) tasks.
The original iPhone 4 antenna perhaps was sub par, but not F**cked up. The new antenna is more than just an improvement to fix the issue, I won’t bother explaining why because clearly you will not bother reading the details. And talk about fragile, no other phone is designed to fall. It is designed to be resistant to falling…not unbreakable. The iPhone (without a case) is less resistant to drops..bottom line, try not to drop your electronics..no matter what it is.
Finally, next time don’t bother censoring your expletives, you tone is bad enough. You last post was like saying: “Hey you are an a-hole, no offense“
I dont understand ppl that say stop arguing its just a phone their called smartphone for a reason its like having a swiss army knife but in technology terms its everything in 1 I own a galaxy s2 and I macbook I think android is great and I think iphoned are great it all comes down to preference.