Mockups demonstrate Apple's anticipated iPhone 5 'Assistant' feature

Posted:
in iPhone edited January 2014
A new video demonstrates how Apple's "Assistant" voice control functionality in its forthcoming fifth-generation iPhone is expected to work.



Voice recognition is expected to be a major feature of the next iPhone, to be unveiled at next week's media event. Based on information culled from sources, MacRumors drew a mockup and commissioned a video that claim to show off how the rumored feature will work.



Dubbed Assistant, it will reportedly allow users to speak to their iPhone and accomplish a number of tasks through natural language, like sending text messages, looking up information, or scheduling an appointment. The functionality shown is similar to Siri, a "personal assistant" application for the iPhone that Apple purchased in April of 2010.



Arnold Kim said users will invoke the Assistant feature by holding down the home button on the iPhone to display a microphone on the bottom of the screen, similar to the current multitasking interface. Once the microphone is displayed, users will be able to speak to their handset and operate it handsfree.



The site contracted Jan-Michael Cart to create a video that intends to show off how the new feature is expected to work. In the first demonstration, the user give the command "Send a text to Scott Forstall saying, 'I like the new assistant.'" From there, the message is automatically composed, and the user is audibly asked whether the message should be sent to the contact's mobile or work number.







In a second example, the prompt "Get information on the International Space Station" is spoken aloud. The iPhone then pulls up a summary of data and pictures on the ISS automatically from Wolfram Alpha.



The new feature will reportedly be exclusive to Apple's next-generation iPhone, meaning it will not be available to current iPhone 4 owners who upgrade to iOS 5.



Apple sent out invitations to members of the media this week for an iPhone-related event set to take place next Tuesday at 10 a.m. Pacific. It read, "Let's talk iPhone," which helped to increase speculation that the next iPhone will feature new voice recognition functionality.







Prior to the unveiling of iOS 5 this June, it was rumored that the software update would feature "deep" voice integration, but the functionality was not demonstrated. After the Worldwide Developers Conference, rumors claimed the feature was not ready to be shown off at the time. However, if the feature is exclusive to a fifth-generation iPhone, Apple could not demonstrate Assistant until it unveils its next smartphone.



In addition to the acquisition of Siri, Apple is also believed to have partnered with Nuance Communications, makers of Dragon NaturallySpeaking, to help power the Assistant feature on the so-called "iPhone 5."
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 81
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post


    In the first demonstration, the user give the command "Send a text to Scott Forstall saying, 'I like the new assistant.'" From there, the message is automatically composed,



    If it works as well as shown here, I will be very impressed.
  • Reply 2 of 81
    So basically it will work more or less like voice commands in Android..... (I have an android phone and contrary to propaganda they work pretty well)



    I wonder if the popup keyboard will have a mic button like Android. I find that to be a very handy way to enter text into virtually any text input field? It does not always understand everything I say, but it is usually close enough so that it is faster to edit the text than to type it all in....
  • Reply 3 of 81
    solipsismsolipsism Posts: 25,726member
    I am not a fan of the long hold of the Home Button for accessing Voice Control, a service I oft use on my iPhone. I want something that is faster to access, especially if it's going to be offering considerably more utility than currently found in iOS 4.x/5.0. While I doubt it I do hope that moving of the volume/mute switch to the other side is actually an Assistant button that will access the feature immediately when pressed on the new G5 iPhone.
  • Reply 4 of 81
    iPhone, please post to AppleInsider forums thread 133237 saying, "I can't wait for the usual suspects to post their Apple copies Android again comments. You know who you are. Smiley face."
  • Reply 5 of 81
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post


    A new video demonstrates how Apple's "Assistant" voice control functionality in its forthcoming fifth-generation iPhone is expected to work. ...



    This is pretty cool, but if I have to listen to Lilly Allen while I'm using it ...



    I'd rather kill myself instead.
  • Reply 6 of 81
    paxmanpaxman Posts: 4,729member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Prof. Peabody View Post


    This is pretty cool, but if I have to listen to Lilly Allen while I'm using it ...



    I'd rather kill myself instead.



    But I have never found voice commands to work on any platform using any software. The really useful place would be if it worked in the car but that's even less likely. I usually find it is far quicker to go the manual route - though I am an eternal optimist and so look forward to using this feature. ...\
  • Reply 7 of 81
    neo42neo42 Posts: 287member
    I've found the voice voice recognition features on Android phone to work phenomenally well, similarly to what this video demonstrates. I was quite surprised that it required no training and deciphers my grumblings better than some humans. All that being said, I never use it. Not sure why, maybe I am just too lazy to retrain myself to do so.
  • Reply 8 of 81
    wigginwiggin Posts: 2,265member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by solipsism View Post


    I am not a fan of the long hold of the Home Button for accessing Voice Control, a service I oft use on my iPhone. I want something that is faster to access, especially if it's going to be offering considerably more utility than currently found in iOS 4.x/5.0. While I doubt it I do hope that moving of the volume/mute switch to the other side is actually an Assistant button that will access the feature immediately when pressed on the new G5 iPhone.



    I was thinking the same thing. Sooner or later they may need to add another button someplace. But look how long it took to get a second button on the mouse!
  • Reply 9 of 81
    neo42neo42 Posts: 287member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Suddenly Newton View Post


    iPhone, please post to AppleInsider forums thread 133237 saying, "I can't wait for the usual suspects to post their Apple copies Android again comments. You know who you are. Smiley face."



    I think the irony here is that the 'fandroid' is the guy or gal who can already most closely mimic this process.
  • Reply 10 of 81
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by ConradJoe View Post


    If it works as well as shown here, I will be very impressed.



    Exactly. I was impressed enough with Siri to delete it after about 5 minutes of screwing around. Same with Dragon. I'm told my voice is not difficult to understand



    By far the best voice recognition I've used to date is the Voice Control Dial that comes with the latest build on the iPhone 4.



    And if it's true, IMHO, not a real smart move on Apple's part to make Assistant an iPhone 5 feature exclusively. (that is, if there is an iPhone 5)
  • Reply 11 of 81
    I like the video. Guess we'll find out as soon as Tuesday if this is packaged with the new iPhone 5
  • Reply 12 of 81
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Neo42 View Post


    I've found the voice voice recognition features on Android phone to work phenomenally well, similarly to what this video demonstrates. I was quite surprised that it required no training and deciphers my grumblings better than some humans. All that being said, I never use it. Not sure why, maybe I am just too lazy to retrain myself to do so.



    I've had an Android for a couple months now. I use voice recognition all the time for texts, but it has to have a good connection to do it. I guess it uses the cloud to work? Either that or their servers can't be too busy... not sure which.



    But it works pretty well. Just now learned about the other voice commands, so I'll try to start using those.



    I'm on Sprint, so I'll be getting an iPhone very soon. Then I can make a pretty good judgement about which platform is better.



    One beef. The general email program has a delete button on the lower right. The 'gmail' program has the delete button in the lower middle. I guess the different groups at Google don't talk to each other? Not sure Apple would allow such inconsistency.
  • Reply 13 of 81
    mstonemstone Posts: 11,510member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by sranger View Post


    So basically it will work more or less like voice commands in Android..... (I have an android phone and contrary to propaganda they work pretty well)



    I wonder if the popup keyboard will have a mic button like Android. I find that to be a very handy way to enter text into virtually any text input field? It does not always understand everything I say, but it is usually close enough so that it is faster to edit the text than to type it all in....



    When I try Dragon Dictate vs Google Translate on iPhone, Dragon gives better results for my voice. If Apple is using Nuance's technology it should work pretty well.



    On the other hand Google Translate works surprisingly well for me in Spanish, Japanese as well as English. Dragon is apparently North American English only, at least that is the way it exists on my iPhone currently.



    EDIT: Dragon does work in other languages. I found the settings and after briefly testing in Spanish it works well.



    Bottom line is I can't see Apple releasing a major feature like that and it only works in the USA when more than half of their iPhone sales are other countries.
  • Reply 14 of 81
    addaboxaddabox Posts: 12,665member
    All I can say is, I hope to hell Apple actually intends this functionality for iOS 5. With this level of conjuring up, people are absolutely freak if it turns out just to be another unfulfilled rumor after all.
  • Reply 15 of 81
    slurpyslurpy Posts: 5,382member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Neo42 View Post


    I've found the voice voice recognition features on Android phone to work phenomenally well, similarly to what this video demonstrates. I was quite surprised that it required no training and deciphers my grumblings better than some humans. All that being said, I never use it. Not sure why, maybe I am just too lazy to retrain myself to do so.



    That's because your voice commands are uploaded and processed/analyzed by Google's server farms, not on the device itself. This has both pros and cons, obviously, as although it can tap into massive computational ability that no single device is capable of, it requires a network connection at all times, which has its own inherent lag. We'll see what route Apple goes with.
  • Reply 16 of 81
    solipsismsolipsism Posts: 25,726member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by mstone View Post


    Bottom line is I can't see Apple releasing a major feature like that and it only works in the USA when more than half of their iPhone sales are other countries.



    Excellent point. Apple has done a great job of appealing to many languages around the world so having them ignore them now would be out of character.
  • Reply 17 of 81
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Slurpy View Post


    That's because your voice commands are uploaded and processed/analyzed by Google's server farms, not on the device itself. This has both pros and cons, obviously, as although it can tap into massive computational ability that no single device is capable of, it requires a network connection at all times, which has its own inherent lag. We'll see what route Apple goes with.



    Couple of milliseconds on android is lag? You can't even perceive that as a human, lol.



    I doubt that Apple's product will even come close to Android if it doesn't access the cloud. Sucks for "millions of people on ATT", or a large chunk of your internal, non-swappable storage will be consumed just for this on an iphone.



    Android is doing it today, and doing it VERY well as part of the OS.



    Let's see what Apple is "cook-ing", pun intended.
  • Reply 18 of 81
    asdasdasdasd Posts: 5,686member
    I could care less about this feature. Helpful for blind people, and people who drive hand's free maybe. For the rest of us typing "space station" isn't that big of a deal. Talking "look up space station" makes up look like a twat. Particuarly if it doesnt work.



    iPhone to mouth.



    "Look up space station"



    looks at phone.



    "JESUS. NO!! Not suasages. SPACE STATION"



    looks at phone.



    "NOT SAUSAGES! I MENTIONED SAUSAGES BECAUSE I WANTED TO POINT OUT THAT SAUSAGES WAS WHAT I DIDNT WANT"



    looks at phone.



    "Not SUASAGES. YOU IDIOTIC PHONE"



    looks at phone.



    " I KNOW THE MEANING OF IDIOTIC!"



    throws phone out window.
  • Reply 19 of 81
    asdasdasdasd Posts: 5,686member
    The whole localisation problem reminds me of the scottish guys in the lift.



    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NMS2VnDveP8
  • Reply 20 of 81
    The functionality already works very well in Mango. Makes driving and texting a whole lot safer.
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