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Apple buys Siri, gets basic search to challenge Google

updated 02:05 pm EDT, Wed April 28, 2010

 

Apple hints at integrating search with Siri buy


An FTC filing today revealed that Apple has quietly bought out Siri. The deal gives Apple the creator of an iPhone personal assistant app that can automatically handle common tasks through searches, such as hailing a cab or buying tickets for a movie at a nearby theater. Apple hasn't publicly confirmed the deal outside of the FTC or mentioned its terms.

The deal doesn't amount to a full, traditional web search engine but is one of the first instances of Apple buying directly into a search business that could pit itself against Google. The latter has some special search features of its own but hasn't specialized in directly linking its searches to accomplishing tasks outside of relatively simple, experimental projects like Google Shopper for Android. Google Mobile App currently allows voice search, but only as a replacement for generic searches.

Apple's acquisition potentially gives it an edge in the mobile arena as a whole by providing official hooks on the iPhone, iPod and iPad for intelligent searches rather than requiring that developers make their own solutions or simply using an existing engine. [via Robert Scoble]


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By Electronista Staff

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iPod, iPhone, Google, Android, iPhone apps, Apple, iPad, Siri

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Previous Comments

  1. c4rlob

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: May 2009

    +5
    04/28, 04:59pm | report spam | reply

    Great news

    I love the SiriAssistant app - their voice-recognition search works fabulously. This will probably be a big asset to Apple improving their voice-recognition software for the iPod OS.


  1. WiseWeasel

    Junior Member

    Joined: Apr 1999

    +7
    04/28, 05:19pm | report spam | reply

    Oh Boy

    The Apple vs Google war is getting red hot. Apple is striking back in Google's home turf with iAd and now this web agent thing, which will be a widely used layer under Apple's control upon which search services such as Google will sit, at Apple's pleasure of course. Apple is obviously chafing at the power Google has, and is now actively trying to cut them back down to size. It's like they're making an example out of Google for forming a close partnership during the planning and development of the iPhone OS platform, and then competing with Apple's core strategic asset with Android OS.


  1. testudo

    Forum Regular

    Joined: Aug 2001

    -1
    04/28, 06:03pm | report spam | reply

    Re: Oh boy...

    Apple is obviously chafing at the power Google has, and is now actively trying to cut them back down to size.

    You do understand that this app, like so many of similar vein, basically uses other search engines underneath it to perform their search? So, in effect, it is using Google, along with others. (Oh, I wonder how much people would praise it if they found out it used Bing underneath).

    But that would show Google, I guess, if they then rip out anything using their search engine...


  1. testudo

    Forum Regular

    Joined: Aug 2001

    +2
    04/28, 06:04pm | report spam | reply

    Re: Great news

    their voice-recognition search works fabulously. This will probably be a big asset to Apple improving their voice-recognition software for the iPod OS.

    What is really sad is Apple was so much in the forefront of voice recognition back in the 90s. But, like a lot of their cool stuff, they just let it lag and linger and never did anything with it, to the point where they might need to go out and purchase someone else's tech to get it to work correctly.


  1. testudo

    Forum Regular

    Joined: Aug 2001

    -1
    04/28, 06:12pm | report spam | reply

    Two other things

    Apple's acquisition potentially gives it an edge in the mobile arena as a whole by providing official hooks on the iPhone, iPod and iPad for intelligent searches

    Perhaps I am daft, but what in the world would prevent Apple from doing this without the acquisition. They're the only ones who can put the hooks into the OS in the first place. So anything would give the a potential edge.

    And doesn't this all sound just like Sherlock 2.0, which Apple stole from the developer of Watson ....er......I mean they just updated Sherlock to the 'next logical step'...... then let fade away (seriously Apple, you do that way too often).

    h***, in 10.2 Apple added "Ink" to their OS. Great handwriting recognition! And yet, 3 years since the release of the iPhone, still nothing there. h***, they haven't even taken the effort to allow you to use your incredible multi-touch trackpad to use it.


  1. WiseWeasel

    Junior Member

    Joined: Apr 1999

    +5
    04/28, 10:27pm | report spam | reply

    Re: Re: Oh boy...

    Yes, but Apple can switch out Google for Bing, and the service's users wouldn't know the difference. This shifts the power into Apple's hands, as long as they can get the users to go through their gateway.


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