Rumor: Siri to get iMessage integration, adapt to user habits in 'iOS 11'

A mockup of Siri integration with the iOS Messages app.

Apple is planning a slate of Siri updates for "iOS 11" which should include things like more adaptive AI and integration with iMessage and iCloud, according to a rumor stemming from an Israeli site.

The voice assistant should be able to learn a person's usage habits and offer different actions based on context, The Verifier claimed. The lack of contextual awareness has been one of the chief criticisms of Siri, especially in comparison with Google Assistant and Samsung's Bixby.

Google's AI, for instance, can not only pull data from the Web and a variety of services but accept follow-up questions that avoid the need to spell out a full command. Asking "who is the President of the U.S.," for instance, can be followed by "how old is he."

The iMessage integration will reportedly let Siri act based on conversations. Talking about eating sushi might prompt it to suggest restaurants, offer to book a reservation, or even arrange ridesharing. These claims may be at least partially based on recent patent filings.

iCloud integration will allegedly be used to "identify the connections" between devices, and offer relevant actions on each. Apple is in fact said to be planning deeper use of Siri in tvOS and watchOS, for example expanding the number of commands an Apple TV understands.

Apple should show off its new technology at the Worldwide Developers Conference in June when "iOS 11" will be announced, The Verifier said, cautioning that the company could postpone Siri features until later releases. Changes will also reportedly make their way into the next version of macOS.

The Verifier is a relatively unknown site without an established track record. Recently it claimed that "iOS 11" will also support group video calls in FaceTime, finally catching up with rivals like Google and Microsoft.

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22 Comments

simply258

said about 7 years ago

I hope so, after iOS 10 it's hard to imagine how they would innovate beyond the stickers and effects.

ihatescreennames

said about 7 years ago

AppleInsider said:

The voice assistant should be able to learn a person's usage habits and offer different actions based on context, The Verifier claimed. The lack of contextual awareness has been one of the chief criticisms of Siri, especially in comparison with Google Assistant and Samsung's Bixby.

Google's AI, for instance, can not only pull data from the Web and a variety of services but accept follow-up questions that avoid the need to spell out a full command. Asking "who is the President of the U.S.," for instance, can be followed by "how old is he."

So, doesn't it count when I ask Siri "Who is the President of the United States" and Siri gives me data from Wolfram Alpha, and then I say "How old is he" and Siri responds with "Donald Trump is 70 years old"?

How is that any different than the example of Google's AI that is in the article? (Has anyone used Bixby?)

I recently saw a video (thought it was posts here but may have been DF) of someone using an Android phone and an iPhone and asking the same questions and follow-ups (occasionally, when appropriate) and basically finding that the two are on par with each other.

I see a lot of "Siri sucks" articles and comments but I think the reality is much different.

bdfortin

said about 7 years ago

"The lack of contextual awareness has been one of the chief criticisms of Siri, especially in comparison with Google Assistant and Samsung's Bixby." Siri has been context-aware since iOS 9. Why do so many people and publications keep forgetting this?

StrangeDays

said about 7 years ago

This article is wrong -- you can ask siri who the president is and then ask "how old is he" for a contextually aware reply. Dunno why they couldn't test this simple thing before publishing it.