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Class action lawsuit claims Siri doesn't work as advertised

post #1 of 158
3/12/12 at 1:15pm
Thread Starter 
A New York man is suing Apple over falsely advertising its Siri voice assistant, alleging that the company's ads convey a "misleading and deceptive message" about the iPhone 4S-only service.

The suit filed on Monday by Frank M. Fazio, who is seeking damages as an individual and on behalf of similarly vexed iPhone 4S users, claims that Siri is far less responsive and accurate than Apple's commercials depict, reports the Wall Street Journal

From the lawsuit filed in federal court in California:
Quote:
[I]n many of Apple’s television advertisements, individuals are shown using Siri to make appointments, find restaurants, and even learn the guitar chords to classic rock songs or how to tie a tie. In the commercials, all of these tasks are done with ease with the assistance of the iPhone 4S’s Siri feature, a represented functionality contrary to the actual operating results and performance of Siri.

Fazio claims that the real-world performance of Apple's voice-recognition service is spotty at best, and unusable at worst. He gives the example of using the virtual assistant as a navigational aid, saying that when asked for directions to a certain location, "Siri either did not understand what Plaintiff was asking, or, after a very long wait time, responded with the wrong answer.”

Going further, the law firm representing Fazio and the class, Robbins Geller, said that Siri is “at best, a work-in-progress.”




Although Apple failed to respond to questions regarding the suit, the company's website clearly notes that Siri is a beta product, meaning that it is not finalized and polished.

The suit also does not make mention of the fact that in its latest commercial focusing on Siri, Apple issues a disclaimer stating that the service's sequences were shortened for advertising purposes.

Full copy of the filed complaint:
Apple iPhone Siri Cpt


[ View article on AppleInsider ]
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post #2 of 158
3/12/12 at 1:22pm
BETA means BETA!
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post #3 of 158
3/12/12 at 1:25pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by AppleZilla View Post

BETA means BETA!

Generally public has no idea what that means...
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post #4 of 158
3/12/12 at 1:25pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by AppleZilla View Post

BETA means BETA!

Many people don't know what "Beta" means.
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post #5 of 158
3/12/12 at 1:25pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by AppleZilla View Post

BETA means BETA!

Though I think this guy is moron, does it say anywhere in the commercial Beta? I can not see it at work? Regardless, these lawsuits are getting insane.
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post #6 of 158
3/12/12 at 1:26pm
Thank you for saying that. This seems ridiculous to me. Just the idea that he found an attorney so hungry for notoriety to file it.
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post #7 of 158
3/12/12 at 1:30pm
That fool, he is probably just holding it wrong!
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post #8 of 158
3/12/12 at 1:30pm
Siri just called you.

She wants you to know that your 15 seconds of fame are up.
Pity the agnostic dyslectic. They spend all their time contemplating the existence of dog.
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Pity the agnostic dyslectic. They spend all their time contemplating the existence of dog.
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post #9 of 158
3/12/12 at 1:31pm
I don't have an iPhone 4S, so I haven't tried SIRI, but I do know one thing. I've seen some videos of people using SIRI, and some people have speech defects. SIRI is obviously not always going to understand some foreigner speaking with a laughable crappy accent, and other people who have never learned to speak properly. That is those people's problem. Go make an appointment with a speech therapist or something.

I'll be testing out the dictation feature on the iPAD this friday, and I expect it to work pretty good, since I don't speak like a retard.
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post #10 of 158
3/12/12 at 1:31pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by 2foxxy4u View Post

Thank you for saying that. This seems ridiculous to me. Just the idea that he found an attorney so hungry for notoriety to file it.

Thats the problem, when you become the big dog on campus, everyone wants a bite. Throw enough crap at the wall something will stick. What I do not think these lawyers realize is that Apple seems to love litigation and will not roll over on a settlement like most business's do and they will be in for a lengthy expensive fight that they may lose and have to eatthe costs of. A few of those and the lawyers will put away the pitchforks.
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post #11 of 158
3/12/12 at 1:31pm
There are trolls beyond Apple-centric sites.

In this case trolling for dollars......

"The first thing we do, let's kill all the lawyers."
~Wm. Shakespeare

An iPhone, a Leatherman and thou...  ...life is complete.

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An iPhone, a Leatherman and thou...  ...life is complete.

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post #12 of 158
3/12/12 at 1:33pm
That's it, I'm moving to the US and suing God because the world isn't perfect.

"The cobbler's children have no shoes", is a saying that applies a lot to companies who provide products and services. -KDarling on Google Search.

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"The cobbler's children have no shoes", is a saying that applies a lot to companies who provide products and services. -KDarling on Google Search.

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post #13 of 158
3/12/12 at 1:34pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Apple ][ View Post

...I'll be testing out the dictation feature on the iPAD this friday, and I expect it to work pretty good, since I don't speak like a retard.

LOL don't blame yourself if it didn't understand you now, you hear?

Ron Paul

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Ron Paul

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post #14 of 158
3/12/12 at 1:34pm
Maybe Siri doesn't understand "stupid", "greedy", sleazy", etc ?
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post #15 of 158
3/12/12 at 1:35pm
So it's "“at best, a work-in-progress". Like most early versions of anything in this world. Assumed the lawyer would leave out such non-damning statements if they're looking to detail its awfulness into damages.
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post #16 of 158
3/12/12 at 1:36pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Apple ][ View Post

...I expect it to work pretty good, since I don't speak like a retard.

"pretty well"

(Just so you don't sound like a retard.)

"The cobbler's children have no shoes", is a saying that applies a lot to companies who provide products and services. -KDarling on Google Search.

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"The cobbler's children have no shoes", is a saying that applies a lot to companies who provide products and services. -KDarling on Google Search.

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post #17 of 158
3/12/12 at 1:36pm
she doesn't assist me at all. this siri beta. i mean why does she even has a last name anyway. beta what a dumb last name.
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post #18 of 158
3/12/12 at 1:36pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hellacool View Post

Though I think this guy is moron, does it say anywhere in the commercial Beta?

Even I forgot that it was Beta. I guess I was preoccupied with the plausibility that a high school teenager could find a guitar, learn a B minor 9th, get a band together, somehow afford two collectable pre CBS Fender amps, have two girlfriends at the same time and become a Rock God all in the span of 6 months since the release of Siri. I must have been doing something wrong back when I was in HS.

Life is too short to drink bad coffee.

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Life is too short to drink bad coffee.

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post #19 of 158
3/12/12 at 1:38pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by bloggerblog View Post

LOL don't blame yourself if it didn't understand you now, you hear?

hehe.

Well, the last time I tested out speech control on a Mac was about 10 years under OS 9, and even though I didn't find much use for it, it did understand me pretty good and I was opening and closing windows using speech, and doing other functions.

I would obviously assume that SIRI is way more advanced than what I tried back then.
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post #20 of 158
3/12/12 at 1:39pm
Ironic that Fazio is suing. Rmember the SNL parodies of frivolous lawsuits? "At the law firm of Green & Fazio, we know that some of the most lucrative lawsuits are nuisance suits. You see, today's large corporations and wealthy individuals would rather settle out-of-court than deal with the headaches, the harassment, of endless emotionally draining litigation. And no one harasses defendents like Green & Fazio."


I sue Verizon, 'cause I get all depressed any time my cell phone is roaming.
I sue Colorado, 'cause you know, I think it looks a little bit too much Like Wyoming!
I sue Neiman Marcus, 'cause they put up their Christmas decorations way out of season.
I sue Ben Affleck ... aww, do I even need a reason?
I'll Sue Ya, "Weird Al" Yankovic
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post #21 of 158
3/12/12 at 1:40pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by hill60 View Post

"pretty well"

(Just so you don't sound like a retard.)


I'm allowed to make mistakes, because there's this one poster here called Flanuer or something like that, and he seriously claims that I am a paid shill and that I am fake because I write too perfectly and never make mistakes, according to him. Somebody with my kind of opinions would not be able to use proper grammar, according to him again. Who exactly I would be a paid shill for, I have no idea. Google? Samsung?
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post #22 of 158
3/12/12 at 1:41pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hellacool View Post

Though I think this guy is moron, does it say anywhere in the commercial Beta? I can not see it at work? Regardless, these lawsuits are getting insane.

I have mixed feelings about this. I hate these lawsuits so much, but....

Is it fair to release a product and use it as THE MAIN selling feature and have a disclaimer of BETA? I am often laughing at how badly SIRI misinterprets my "wishes". I also am sick of not having the full feature set because I live just north of the border. But, I don't know if a lawsuit is warranted.
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post #23 of 158
3/12/12 at 1:46pm
I would hope that all Apple has to do to get this tossed out is demonstrate that each of queries they pose to Siri in the various commercials gives a reasonable response. If they can't do that--that is, if they just made up scenarios that don't work--then they should be held accountable. Having said that, I'm certain they can demonstrate that or else it would have been front-page news the day after the commercial first aired.

As to whether someone inferred that because it could send a text message based on "tell betty and veronica to come to the garage at 8:00" that it should be able to do any other wacky thing the user dreams up, that's not Apple's fault.
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post #24 of 158
3/12/12 at 1:50pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by AppleZilla View Post

BETA means BETA!

Beta normally means you don't advertise it as a primary selling point as well.

While I hate the fact that these things always end up with someone brining the lawyers in, he does have a point that the adverts are somewhat misleading.

I would guess that Siri understands what I've said maybe 50% of the time. For me it has proven absolutely unusable.

The difference between me and the plaintiff in this case is that I've put it down to me having an accent that I know is difficult for some people to understand, and have written it off as "one of those things".
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post #25 of 158
3/12/12 at 1:50pm
oh to be in jolly england.

loser pays. loser pays. loser pays.

that should cut off a few dumb heads. especially lawyers!
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post #26 of 158
3/12/12 at 1:51pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by malax View Post

As to whether someone inferred that because it could send a text message based on "tell betty and veronica to come to the garage at 8:00" that it should be able to do any other wacky thing the user dreams up, that's not Apple's fault.

http://9to5mac.com/2012/02/27/someon...al-nsfw-video/

Life is too short to drink bad coffee.

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Life is too short to drink bad coffee.

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post #27 of 158
3/12/12 at 1:51pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Apple ][ View Post

SIRI is obviously not always going to understand some foreigner speaking with a laughable crappy accent,

Do you actually realise you wrote that comment? Were you drunk or are you just a bigot?

Apple sells products internationally, correct?
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post #28 of 158
3/12/12 at 1:52pm
The number of times my Garmin has told me to turn off an interstate in the absolute middle of nowhere when programed to go from Florida to New Hampshire makes me realize I may have missed an opportunity.
Been using Apples since 1978 and Macs since 1984
Long on AAPL so biased. Strong advocate for separation of technology and politics on AI.
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Been using Apples since 1978 and Macs since 1984
Long on AAPL so biased. Strong advocate for separation of technology and politics on AI.
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post #29 of 158
3/12/12 at 1:53pm
That's it, I'm moving to America to make my fortune.

I'll start with a suit against jeep because I got bogged down once.

Then I'm hitting North Face cos when I walked the dogs the other day my body warmer left me felling a little chilled.

Microsoft is getting it big time for every crash I ever had.

Apple can have it for my home movies being crap, iMovie ads show beautiful people doing interesting things.

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post #30 of 158
3/12/12 at 1:53pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by fredaroony View Post

Do you actually realise you wrote that comment? Were you drunk or are you just a bigot?

Apple sells products internationally, correct?

Some Brits may think he has a crappy way of speaking English

Remember your friend is the ignore list.
Been using Apples since 1978 and Macs since 1984
Long on AAPL so biased. Strong advocate for separation of technology and politics on AI.
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Been using Apples since 1978 and Macs since 1984
Long on AAPL so biased. Strong advocate for separation of technology and politics on AI.
Reply
post #31 of 158
3/12/12 at 1:55pm
Being from east Tennessee and having a pronounced southern appalachian accent, even I have about a 90% success rate with SIRI. I can guarantee that Apple didn't put a 'hillbilly' dialect in there, but it works very well for me. I have also found that more I use it, the more it is able to comprehend my strange vowel sounds.
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post #32 of 158
3/12/12 at 1:55pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by fredaroony View Post

Do you actually realise you wrote that comment? Were you drunk or are you just a bigot?

Apple sells products internationally, correct?

Since you're asking me if I'm drunk or a bigot, I will have to ask you if you're ignorant?

SIRI in foreign countries is tailored to understand the speech of those countries. That's why there's a SIRI for UK and a SIRI for Australia and a SIRI for US.

The guy suing Apple is using the US version of SIRI, since he's in the US. And if he does not speak proper American English, then that is his problem.
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post #33 of 158
3/12/12 at 1:55pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Maverik234 View Post

That's it, I'm moving to America to make my fortune.

I'll start with a suit against jeep because I got bogged down once.

Then I'm hitting North Face cos when I walked the dogs the other day my body warmer left me felling a little chilled.

Microsoft is getting it big time for every crash I ever had.

Apple can have it for my home movies being crap, iMovie ads show beautiful people doing interesting things.


I love the last one .. I can just see it now ... "Your honor, my movies never come out looking like I am in Hawaii"
Been using Apples since 1978 and Macs since 1984
Long on AAPL so biased. Strong advocate for separation of technology and politics on AI.
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Been using Apples since 1978 and Macs since 1984
Long on AAPL so biased. Strong advocate for separation of technology and politics on AI.
Reply
post #34 of 158
3/12/12 at 1:55pm
If I find a product doesn't work as advertised I will try to contact the seller (Apple) and see if they can correct the problem by either showing me what I am doing wrong or ask for a refund. The last thing I would do is start a law suit, but then I'm not so stupid.
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post #35 of 158
3/12/12 at 1:56pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by digitalclips View Post

Some Brits may think he has a crappy way of speaking English

Remember your friend is the ignore list.

Brits use a different version of SIRI, you genius.
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post #36 of 158
3/12/12 at 1:57pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by F1Ferrari View Post

Being from east Tennessee and having a pronounced southern appalachian accent, even I have about a 90% success rate with SIRI. I can guarantee that Apple didn't put a 'hillbilly' dialect in there, but it works very well for me. I have also found that more I use it, the more it is able to comprehend my strange vowel sounds.

Oh, you said 'vowel sounds' I didn't have my glasses on and was worried for a minute ...

Seriously though I agree it works very well. My wife's iPhone's Siri understands me, English, plus my wife, Bostonian equally as well. That's quite a range!

BTW love the handle ...
Been using Apples since 1978 and Macs since 1984
Long on AAPL so biased. Strong advocate for separation of technology and politics on AI.
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Been using Apples since 1978 and Macs since 1984
Long on AAPL so biased. Strong advocate for separation of technology and politics on AI.
Reply
post #37 of 158
3/12/12 at 1:57pm
Wow that's my last name I really hope I'm not related to this guy. People must not be aware what the term Beta means. Wait.... I know Siri understands multiple languages but I'm pretty sure douchebagian isn't one of them anyway right? Or is that in 5.1 too?
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post #38 of 158
3/12/12 at 1:57pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by bigpics View Post

There are trolls beyond Apple-centric sites.

In case trolling for dollars......

"The first thing we do, let's kill all the lawyers."
~Wm. Shakespeare


This is a commonly misinterpreted statement. Shakespeare wasn't condemning lawyers. Rather, the speaker was planning to overthrow the government and suggested that the first step would be to kill the lawyers. That is, the lawyers were a key part of making society work properly.

Quote:
Originally Posted by mstone View Post

http://9to5mac.com/2012/02/27/someon...al-nsfw-video/

I think the guy who's suing is just unhappy that Siri won't call HIM 'Rock God'.
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post #39 of 158
3/12/12 at 1:57pm
He's probably upset that Siri started calling him "D*ck Wad" instead of "Rock God".
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post #40 of 158
3/12/12 at 2:00pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Apple ][ View Post

Since you're asking me if I'm drunk or a bigot, I will have to ask you if you're ignorant?

I asked because I can see no other reason why someone would make such a ridiculous comment.
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