Still in beta: Siri falls short when searching for Apple retail stores

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Comments

  • Reply 41 of 54

    This isn't really that big of an issue. Siri is posting results based on distance. Apple just needs code Siri so that it lists the closest matches first, by distance, then the next near matches by distance. Right now the closest & next near matches are listed by distance. It's still a sign that they are in beta, but it's something that they can fix%u2026 and not really critical either

    Cheers !
  • Reply 42 of 54
    This is kind of an empty criticism. What would the search results be if what was requested was "Apple Retail Store". And notice, the results are proximity based businesses that ALSO have "Apple" in their name. Imagine the outrage if non-computer related "Apple" named business were just omitted, or if an Apple Retail Store was placed at the top of the list even if it was 100 miles away. Search for "Apple Retail Store" and then post the results.
  • Reply 43 of 54
    pt123pt123 Posts: 696member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by muppetry View Post


     


    I'm still not seeing why this is a Siri problem. All Siri is doing is passing the query on to the maps app, which returns identical results even if you don't ask via Siri.





    It's not a problem, it's a feature. Finds stuff you didn't even know you were looking for.

  • Reply 44 of 54
    muppetrymuppetry Posts: 3,331member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by pt123 View Post




    Quote:

    Originally Posted by muppetry View Post


     


    I'm still not seeing why this is a Siri problem. All Siri is doing is passing the query on to the maps app, which returns identical results even if you don't ask via Siri.





    It's not a problem, it's a feature. Finds stuff you didn't even know you were looking for.



     


    That must be it - they copied Google's "I'm feeling lucky" search.

  • Reply 45 of 54
    tylerk36tylerk36 Posts: 1,037member


    Honestly I had assumed that SIRI was no longer beta with the new iOS6.  I thought it was actually a first official release in iOS6.

  • Reply 46 of 54
    tylerk36tylerk36 Posts: 1,037member


    I can't do that DAVE!


    Show me the nearest Apple Store please.


    I can't do that DAVE!


    Please?


    DAVE.  Your pissing me off.


    Show me the nearest go#dam store.


    Fuc# you DAVE!

  • Reply 47 of 54
    They Siri to find a 'Apple Retail Store' They'll pop up then. Besides this shows Apple isn't selfish by puts other businesses concerning apples or apple ahead of them!
  • Reply 48 of 54
    charlitunacharlituna Posts: 7,217member
    harbinger wrote: »
    This is not really a Siri issue.

    Correct. It is user error.

    The results match what was put in correctly. What was put in was not a correct search for the desired results

    If you ask for the more accurate request of 'apple computer store' it will find the desired stores.

    Blaming Siri for not second guessing a vague search is like being made that you couldn't find out the meaning of a word after you asked the librarian for an atlas. If you ask a good question you'll get a good answer.
  • Reply 49 of 54
    jnjnjnjnjnjn Posts: 588member


    Seems horrible.


    Lets see ...


    Opening Apple maps, typing "apple store", enter: Apple store Amsterdam.


    100% right.


     


    J.

  • Reply 50 of 54

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by igxqrrl View Post


    It certainly is a Siri issue for anyone trying to use Siri to find an Apple store......


     


     


    Originally Posted by Euphonious View Post

     


     


    How is it 'not a Siri issue'? Siri is failing at one of its primary advertised functions - to find places.



     


    See below.


     


    Quote:


    Originally Posted by muppetry View Post


    This is a maps issue, not a problem with Siri. The same results are returned if you just type "Apple Store" in the maps search bar.



     


    Exactly.


     


    It would be a Siri issue if Siri was routing the query to an entire wrong database (like asking Yahoo Sports for directions).


     


    It would be a Siri issue if an identical, keyboard entered query submitted to the same database gives a different answer and Siri is simply mis-translating the result.


     


    I'm puzzled why some of you can't figure this out.

  • Reply 51 of 54

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by ADAM594 View Post



    They Siri to find a 'Apple Retail Store' They'll pop up then. Besides this shows Apple isn't selfish by puts other businesses concerning apples or apple ahead of them!


     


    That's an interesting perspective.


     


    Quote:

    Originally Posted by charlituna View Post





    Correct. It is user error.

    The results match what was put in correctly. What was put in was not a correct search for the desired results

    If you ask for the more accurate request of 'apple computer store' it will find the desired stores.

    Blaming Siri for not second guessing a vague search is like being made that you couldn't find out the meaning of a word after you asked the librarian for an atlas. If you ask a good question you'll get a good answer.


     


    I see your point but one could argue that "the Apple Store" has become colloquial and so the Maps query parser should prioritize the results accordingly.

  • Reply 52 of 54
    charlitunacharlituna Posts: 7,217member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Euphonious View Post


     


    Yes, really.


     


    Search for Apple Stores on Google - get Apple Stores only.


    Search for Apple Stores on Siri - get a page of random places, then Apple Stores, then random places.


     


    Google's algorithm zoned in better on what the tester wanted. Therefore, Google's algorithm is superior. I really don't know how you can debate this.


     


     




     


     


    How is it 'not a Siri issue'? Siri is failing at one of its primary advertised functions - to find places.



     


    You are confusing Siri with Wolfram Alpha which is the main dataset for Siri and Yelp which is a supplemental. All the results are legit matches for the vague search terms 'apple store' since no one included 'computer' or something else to clarify. The sorting is done by the reviews etc. 


     


    Google has millions over in users and thus has the data of which hits were selected to refine their searches. Siri does not as it is only a year old, compared to Google's decade or so. Same as with the whole Maps thing. Folks are asking a two week old baby that can basically only sleep, eat and poop to drive them to the mall and expecting the same result as asking a 20 year old to do the same. Of course it's not going to work. Especially when you just say 'drive me to the mall' and get made because poopy pants took you to the wrong mall because you weren't specific. 


     


    Remember the old GIGO. That applies with how you ask Siri questions, especially right now. Just like when it was Google that was sitting in its own poop and crying all the time

  • Reply 53 of 54
    I can't believe you haven't noticed that its listed in distance away from you. It's not the name, it's just farther away than the other places. Look at your own examples and someone please tell me this is a joke article. Siri is fine. It does more than anything else and it's way better at reading your voice than anything else.
  • Reply 54 of 54
    muppetrymuppetry Posts: 3,331member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by jrtalk View Post



    I can't believe you haven't noticed that its listed in distance away from you. It's not the name, it's just farther away than the other places. Look at your own examples and someone please tell me this is a joke article. Siri is fine. It does more than anything else and it's way better at reading your voice than anything else.


     


    The concern is not really with Siri - it is with the observation that if you search for "Apple Store" in Google Maps, it returns a list of Apple Stores, whereas if you do the same in iOS Maps it returns a list of retail or service businesses (in order of distance, which is fine) that include the word Apple in their names. Not a big deal, but a little surprising perhaps.

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