Is Google winning the future?

[Suckfest 9001]

Has anyone else just kind of stopped using this stuff? I just found that many things were just glorified internet searches and I could accomplish a lot more if I just paused and concentrated on my phone for a minute. I still use Siri for hands free type of stuff, but the whole assistant thing just doesn't seem very useful to me, maybe I'm just not getting it, or didn't give enough of my information to it.

Siri is goddamn useless, honestly. She's so stupid and I've completely lost faith in her answering questions properly. So yeah, I don't use Siri at all beyond asking her to remind me stuff and set timers. I do use Google Now/Assistant and find the AI there to be massively better in every way.

 

[mclld]

The only voice thing I do is set a timer

 

[Michael Goff]

That's one thing that amazes me about the iPhone, even with Siri always listening I'm still floored when I turn on the phone and see 100% after an entire day of being off the charger, but not being turned on.

But back on topic, has anyone else just kind of stopped using this stuff? I just found that many things were just glorified internet searches and I could accomplish a lot more if I just paused and concentrated on my phone for a minute. I still use Siri for hands free type of stuff, but the whole assistant thing just doesn't seem very useful to me, maybe I'm just not getting it, or didn't give enough of my information to it.
[doublepost=1478134482][/doublepost]

It seems like the turning point is that Apple is abandoning its loyal fanbase, but creating a new fanbase in terms of the masses of consumers out there. The MBP is pitiful IMO, but it's breaking sales records. There are a hell of a lot more regular consumers out there than us fanboys, and Apple realizes that means more money. It's a shame they couldn't find a way to appease both camps, but profit is profit.

What Apple has to be careful of is losing the cool factor. This was because all the artistic types and "rebels" used their device, and it's always fashionable to be the "rebel", until the rebel becomes the establishment. It's interesting because the rebel was always fighting against beige box oems and Microsoft, but Microsoft has become a sort of rebel, releasing product after product showing brand new functionality, styling, etc and shaping the market, slowly becoming the cool kid on the block. Hindsight is scary, that's how fast these things happen. Who would have thought Sony would have fallen off the top of the world like they did?

It's breaking a very specific and not that amazing record, to be honest.

 

[Zwhaler]

I find that graph interesting how when Apple plunges during the non-holiday season, Google goes up. Obviously this is due to the non-premium market, but that is also the reason why Google will overwhelmingly likely maintain its dominance, like Windows versus Mac.

 

[mi7chy]

I find that graph interesting how when Apple plunges during the non-holiday season, Google goes up. Obviously this is due to the non-premium market, but that is also the reason why Google will overwhelmingly likely maintain its dominance, like Windows versus Mac.

Probably tied into new device release schedule. iPhone sales was on a decline for two years forcing Apple to release the big screen iPhone 6 series but it's on the decline again so time for the next big thing(s). Dual camera isn't making a difference so Apple need to come up with a combination of things like redesign, smaller bezels and OLED for 2017. Pencil would be a big plus but probably much later on the roadmap like 2019/2020.

 

[C DM]

Probably tied into new device release schedule. iPhone sales was on a decline for two years forcing Apple to release the big screen iPhone 6 series but it's on the decline again so time for the next big thing(s). Dual camera isn't making a difference so Apple need to come up with a combination of things like redesign, smaller bezels and OLED for 2017. Pencil would be a big plus but probably much later on the roadmap like 2019/2020.

iPhone sales were on a decline for two years?

 

[Suckfest 9001]

iPhone sales were on a decline for two years?

They weren't. It's mi7chy, etc.

 

[dominiongamma]

Back to the Apple company being stale right now. I tend to agree, with Tim Cook at the helm, I think his job was to keep her steady as she goes, don't rock the boat with possible risky bold moves at this time, keep the money machine flowing, and nothing radical changed.

But...that will change, and Apple will start innovation again soon IMO.

I think the iPhone 8 or whatever they call next Summer's phone will be their fresh start again, down the new path.

Should have done it years ago

 

[Twixt]

I personally find both Siri and Assistant to be just kind of meh, and not exciting and definitely not doing enough correctly. But baby steps i suppose.

I want full on Artificial Intelligence on my phone. Where really being hands off 100℅ works 100℅ perfectly. Talk to my phone to do things, without pressing a button, and speaking normally or in slang sometimes, and it understanding me 100℅, without having to repeat the command slowly again or touching the phone.

I want Star Trek Next Generation type assistant, "Computer-book my flight to Cleveland from Chicago to the World Series and schedule Ubor to pick me up Tuesday morning". I want that all done hands free, not touching the phone.

It seems that will eventually come, but is years off. Until then I find these current smartphone assistants to be battery drainers, and not as useful as seems.

Exactly my vision of an assistant...
Typing just takes too much time

 

[niploteksi]

True. Being biased from working on the hardware side of the tech industry I don't like the idea "hardware will become a commodity and software is the only future". Because if that is the case, I am screwed and Apple (as well as many others) would have to heavily revamp and redirect their R&D. So I assume this discussion is already with that expected.

Software will still need something to run on For me Apple has always been a software company first and and Ive had Macs since before the G4 tower. I only moved away from Apple software when I didn't feel like Apple's hardware could give me value for money. I think you are still going to be covered for work