Waiting until September for iOS 18's new AI isn't enough. Siri is broken now.

[Japan Ricardo]

Siri is rubbish. I think we all agree on that. Even her non-verbal 'suggestions' for websites and calendar appointments are stupid.

Why ask me to put something in my calendar which is already there?

However, I don't want Siri to be 'brought up' to any other AI 'standard'. I don't understand why people crave AI assistance so much. Think for yourself. Or become an emotionless, robotic moron.

I make mistakes sometimes. But I learn from them, and at least I know who my wife is and how to call her.

 

[lenningj]

I've found that when using siri, once activated by my voice it allows anyone else in close proximity to interrupt it when asking a question. Also when adding a list of items to a shopping list (note) it creates separate notes for each item with a title for each product if I pause for a couple of seconds while thinking of any further items to add.

 

[sdwaltz]

Well, for me, it hasn't been about 'voice assistants' that much, but the notion of 'smart homes'.

Being able to control locks, lights, thermostats and almost any electrical device remotely, so for example, switching on my house lights, and particularly the porch light when I was on the way home from work after dark, or turn it off once I was in the car on the way out before dawn. Changing thermostat settings at home from work on days of unexpected heat or cold temperatures. Streaming music, including (or mostly) favorite radio stations.

Even switching on the coffee machine when I got out of bed, so by the time I was upstairs, there was hot, fresh coffee to start the day. Then, randomly switching lights on and off in the evenings when I was away from home for a couple of days, to deter thieves.

There are lots of small things that were rather helpful in lots of small ways, including getting weather reports or news or traffic before heading out, or managing home security devices, and monitoring them.

I did most of this from browser or app interfaces rather than voice, because Siri was always useless with voice (and still is), and Alexa now wants to have a conversation, not just follow a command, and that's infuriating, but there's less and less interactive control via my iPhone or a browser anyway, so I'm with you these days, yelling at the clouds!

Oh yeah, this is definitely huge. But you already expressed my general feeling which is that I'd rather just use the app to control the interfaces. I have smart lights all across my home and I've never even attempted to use voice to control them. App works 100% of the time, every time.

 

[za9ra22]

Oh yeah, this is definitely huge. But you already expressed my general feeling which is that I'd rather just use the app to control the interfaces. I have smart lights all across my home and I've never even attempted to use voice to control them. App works 100% of the time, every time.

Yeah, as far as it goes, using apps is good. Sadly that's not much related to Siri/Alexa/Google-thing though. Interactions more complex than an on/off need something more, and it's there (and a lot of the on/off too unfortunately) that doesn't work in voice commands.

Confirm if it is Siri that sucks or voice dictation, use text/write input with Siri: (use Type instead of speak to Siri)

https://support.apple.com/en-ca/guide/iphone/iphaff1d606/ios#:~:text=Go to Settings > Accessibility > Siri, then turn on Type,the keyboard and text field.

I'd have been really happy if this had worked, but unfortunately I get 'can't do this from Mac' when I try from the Mac, and 'cannot complete command' from an iPhone. In both cases the typed command works locally on the device, but it doesn't seem possible to get Siri to command an external (Siri controlled) device.

That was a great idea, and I'd never even heard of Siri accepting typed input before, so not only is that a direction worth continuing to explore, but THANKS for the idea!!!!!

 

[AlastorKatriona]

Face ID is a “great innovation”? It’s a small convenience that I appreciate but nothing mind blowing.

Dynamic Island? Seriously? 1. All they did was make some details to hide the camera and 2. I find it incredibly annoying and wish there was a way to turn it off.

Horrible take all around. Face ID is absolutely mind-blowing technology. You just look at it and you are instantly authenticated, securely. For real secure. Not pretend secure like the phones out there comparing photos of you.

Dynamic Island is a brilliant if slightly under-utilized software solution to a hardware problem that isn't going away any time soon. There is nothing annoying about it, at all.

 

[AlastorKatriona]

Am I the only one not completely confident that Apple is actually going to replace Siri? Despite how bad Siri is, Apple has continued to double down on it over the years. It seems to be a bit of a pipe dream to envision that Apple has slowly been building a masterful AI solution to replace Siri.

I'm half expecting Apple's AI efforts to translate into more specific things that you can do in certain apps, and not a giant overhaul/replacement of Siri.

Hopefully I'm wrong though. Because I can't handle how bad it is anymore.

My main issues with Siri ranked in order of importance are:

1. Certain devices randomly not recognizing "Hey Siri" no matter how many times it is uttered.
2. Slow af network requests that randomly fail. But if I pick up the device and do it manually, there will be no network issues, and it will work instantly.
3. Randomly misunderstanding entire phrases.
4. Not being able to process requests without unlocking iPhone.

 

[StumpyBloke]

Am I the only one not completely confident that Apple is actually going to replace Siri? Despite how bad Siri is, Apple has continued to double down on it over the years. It seems to be a bit of a pipe dream to envision that Apple has slowly been building a masterful AI solution to replace Siri.

I'm half expecting Apple's AI efforts to translate into more specific things that you can do in certain apps, and not a giant overhaul/replacement of Siri.

Hopefully I'm wrong though. Because I can't handle how bad it is anymore.

My main issues with Siri ranked in order of importance are:

1. Certain devices randomly not recognizing "Hey Siri" no matter how many times it is uttered.
2. Slow af network requests that randomly fail. But if I pick up the device and do it manually, there will be no network issues, and it will work instantly.
3. Randomly misunderstanding entire phrases.
4. Not being able to process requests without unlocking iPhone.

I don’t want to be doom and gloom, or at least any more than I usually am, but I don’t hold out any hope with Apple’s plans for AI and Siri improvement. I think it will continue to be an embarrassment and the worst of all the big players year after year. I really hope I am wrong though.

 

[Squirrrrel]

I don’t want to be doom and gloom, or at least any more than I usually am, but I don’t hold out any hope with Apple’s plans for AI and Siri improvement. I think it will continue to be an embarrassment and the worst of all the big players year after year. I really hope I am wrong though.

I've kept my expectations for Siri at zero, and so far, Apple has continued to meet my expectations for years now. I've stopped caring that it will ever be fixed, but we'll see what happens.

 

[Tsepz]

Yeah at this point Siri is pretty broken in some areas, although I have to say in others it’s brilliant e.g. Siri Suggestions is so on top of my habits that it has them to a tee in terms of what apps to suggest.

So I would say it is not all doom and gloom, but YES, Siri needs a major update to bring it up to speed.
That being said I cannot say I feel like I am missing anything major personally with it, but having seen the Siri comparisons to other Assistants it’s clear it’s lagging far behind.

 

[Squirrrrel]

Yeah at this point Siri is pretty broken in some areas, although I have to say in others it’s brilliant e.g. Siri Suggestions is so on top of my habits that it has them to a tee in terms of what apps to suggest.

So I would say it is not all doom and gloom, but YES, Siri needs a major update to bring it up to speed.
That being said I cannot say I feel like I am missing anything major personally with it, but having seen the Siri comparisons to other Assistants it’s clear it’s lagging far behind.

The only thing I miss on Android is Google Assistant. Once you use an actually useful assistant, going back to Siri is painful by comparison. It’s not the end of the world, but it’s a nice perk to have. One of the most annoying things about Siri is she literally will not answer even the most basic question if you’re driving. It’s infuriatingly useless.

 

[Allen_Wentz]

Using voice controls on HomePods is a no-go. Generally awful user experience on the HomePod front too.

Voice control on the original HomePods has always worked very well for me. And the HomePod sound is excellent. But I only do minimalist things like change volume or select artists and genres.

 

[Allen_Wentz]

Apple has, quite obviously, changed goals from great products to great profits and the latter will run its course as more and more customers are frustrated and disappointed.

We strongly disagree. I use an M2 MBP, AirPods Pro, original HomePods, Apple Watch Ultra and an iPhone 15 PM every day. They all are great products and I do not mind that Apple made profit delivering them. I expect Apple to use those profits to provide more great products in the future.

 

[Pakaku]

If anything's rotten, it's the push for more AI. I guess I'm excited to see which iPhones I should skip out on.

Gonna buy you my first iPhone in 2012 and give you a Time Machine to go back to 2012. You will then greatly appreciate modern iPhones.

iPhone 5/5S was the best form, so yes please

 

[jwolf6589]

If anything's rotten, it's the push for more AI. I guess I'm excited to see which iPhones I should skip out on.


iPhone 5/5S was the best form, so yes please

Spring 2012 was the 4S.

 

[Tsepz]

The only thing I miss on Android is Google Assistant. Once you use an actually useful assistant, going back to Siri is painful by comparison. It’s not the end of the world, but it’s a nice perk to have. One of the most annoying things about Siri is she literally will not answer even the most basic question if you’re driving. It’s infuriatingly useless.

This exactly! Siri cannot even get the context of the conversation, each prompt is like a new conversation being started.
I just turn the Siri voice assistance part off, it’s pointless now.

 

[StumpyBloke]

The current state of Siri is indefensible.

But it wouldn’t be so bad if it was reliable just doing the stuff it is able to do, but not even that is possible. One day it might work, the next it won’t. One day you’ll get a certain response to a command, use that very same command a day after and it could be a completely different response. It’s pathetic.

 

[Not So New Guy]

Maybe Apple programmers cans enable this new and improved Siri to listen to voice input from specific or multiple microphones in iOS? As someone with an apparently finicky front microphone that works/tests just fine with Shazam, Voice Memos, and Front Camera recordings, but saying/shouting/screaming "Siri" or "Hey Siri" to wake up Sleeping Beauty is an exercise in utter futility. She refuses to respond for about a month now (iOS 17.5.1/iPhone Xs). Or maybe she just hates me?



Anyhoo, Hey Apple! While you're at it with the major Siri overhaul/redesign, how about implementing this small request? ⬆️

 

[ARK]

I’m curious. At the moment you have to have an iPhone 15 pro or newer to have the AI features for iOS 18.

Does that mean everyone without an iPhone 15 Pro will still have the terrible Siri experience?

 

[swingerofbirch]

I’m curious. At the moment you have to have an iPhone 15 pro or newer to have the AI features for iOS 18.

Does that mean everyone without an iPhone 15 Pro will still have the terrible Siri experience?

Seems like it.

Was frustrating to see both that today and them advertising Siri being able to show you specific pictures you ask to see when it HAD that feature and was removed.