Apple's Phil Schiller makes argument for screens on voice assistant devices like Amazon Ec...

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  • Reply 21 of 44
    irelandireland Posts: 17,798member
    clexman said:
    Interesting timing for this article to post on the day the Amazon assistant with a screen leaked.


    Nice bezel.
    doozydozenMetriacanthosaurus
  • Reply 22 of 44
    radarthekatradarthekat Posts: 3,842moderator
    ireland said:
    So does this speaker assistant have a dock for charging your phone or iPad atop it and anything requiring a screen is put onto it and removing your device continues this behaviour with a certain distance from the speaker.
    See my comment, third comment in this thread.  
  • Reply 23 of 44
    leavingthebiggleavingthebigg Posts: 1,291member
    First, I doubt this is the screen-based Echo device Amazon will be selling to customers. The other Echo devices show that Amazon is thinking about design. Second, for me, the mere existence of the Echo is fun to watch just to see how fast Google attempts to match every Amazon move in the voice assistant space. I think Google was surprised by Echo and rushed out a me-too product without forecasting the merchandising future. In this future Amazon has a plan, Google does not.
    Solidoozydozenwatto_cobra
  • Reply 24 of 44
    CelTanCelTan Posts: 46member
    Is a voice assistant device with a screen not just a Siri-up version of an iDevice?
    my iPad Pro 9.7" is usually in my office when I am at home and my second iPad is in the living room (plugged in) - if I am in any room, I can just say: "Hey Siri" and each of the devices responds quickly enough.
    Yes, sometimes it does not understand me correctly, and yes, sometimes I wish it would be more context aware and yes, I wish it could do other things that seemingly work nicer with the echo. The reason why I don't have an echo is that I am a) invested in the System and b) I don't like that you have to learn syntax for Alexa.
    doozydozenwatto_cobra
  • Reply 25 of 44
    k2kwk2kw Posts: 2,075member
    gatorguy said:
    Well there you have it. Apple's home assistant uses a screen. 
    This would be the dumbest thing and if true indicates that Apple's SIRI would probably still suck.
  • Reply 26 of 44
    christopher126christopher126 Posts: 4,366member
    Hmmmmm. I'm thinking a 'round' iPad mini? 

    He's correct about the screen, of course. :)
    edited May 2017
  • Reply 27 of 44
    virtuavirtua Posts: 209member
    What Phil is really saying is that this product already exists - it's an IPHONE, an IPAD and even APPLE TV.....oh did I forget to say MAC too lol

    this standalone rumour just sounds like rubbish.  
    edited May 2017 doozydozenargonautMetriacanthosaurus
  • Reply 28 of 44
    SoliSoli Posts: 10,035member
    CelTan said:
    Is a voice assistant device with a screen not just a Siri-up version of an iDevice?
    my iPad Pro 9.7" is usually in my office when I am at home and my second iPad is in the living room (plugged in) - if I am in any room, I can just say: "Hey Siri" and each of the devices responds quickly enough.
    Yes, sometimes it does not understand me correctly, and yes, sometimes I wish it would be more context aware and yes, I wish it could do other things that seemingly work nicer with the echo. The reason why I don't have an echo is that I am a) invested in the System and b) I don't like that you have to learn syntax for Alexa.
    It is, but it would presumably be designed around a Siri-only focus, so better mics that will hopefully understand you better and never push you off to Safari to continue looking for yourself.
  • Reply 29 of 44
    pigybankpigybank Posts: 178member
     The answer is to improve Siri on the phone to be able to perform similar functions to what Amazon echo is performing in terms of shopping and controlling your home and smart devices. Standalone voice assistants like the echo and other devices I believe are going to be a fad. Especially when several people of the house have phones with Siri on them, saying hey Siri could pose a unique problem that Amazon does not have to deal with where multiple devices respond at the same time. As long as my phone is capable of performing the same functions, I do not understand why it would necessary or even makes sense to spend money on an additional separate device in the home.
    edited May 2017 doozydozen
  • Reply 30 of 44
    Microsoft had a tablet years before Apple but they thought everyone needed a full PC with a touch screen/pen. Apple came out with a stripped back ipad and made it mainstream. I'm worried Apple is doing a MS here, thinking they should pack everything in to one device when people just want a simple microphone with perhaps a speaker.

    That said, there have been times when I've considered adding a permanent screen to my kitchen or displaying recipes or watching youtube while I cook. Not sure this i device would really solve that though
  • Reply 31 of 44
    k2kwk2kw Posts: 2,075member
    First, I doubt this is the screen-based Echo device Amazon will be selling to customers. The other Echo devices show that Amazon is thinking about design. Second, for me, the mere existence of the Echo is fun to watch just to see how fast Google attempts to match every Amazon move in the voice assistant space. I think Google was surprised by Echo and rushed out a me-too product without forecasting the merchandising future. In this future Amazon has a plan, Google does not.
    Yes Amazon is definitely taking business from Google and maybe from Apple too.    Amazon sells devices and electronic media for its kindle and Fire tablets.   I would not be surprised to see Amazon come out with another phone in a year or two.   Or maybe a ChromeBook competitor.   
  • Reply 32 of 44
    crossladcrosslad Posts: 527member
    Isn't this the guy Apple trots out for Comedic Relief? 
    Think you've got him mixed up with that sleazy guy Samsung used to front their events. That guy makes used car sales reps look honest.
    watto_cobraargonaut
  • Reply 33 of 44
    ...and a computer will never need more than 640k!
    doozydozenwatto_cobra
  • Reply 34 of 44
    mac_128mac_128 Posts: 3,454member
    Hmmmmm. I'm thinking a 'round' iPad mini? 

    He's correct about the screen, of course. :)
    Round screens like on a TV might ultimately have some utility both for interior design aesthetics, as well as a practical reality of photos and video shot in the portrait mode on phones. With a round TV, the visible content can take advantage of the greatest area of the screen, without having to adjust the orientation of the hardware. IMAX movies would be another beneficiary, etc. However, while a round mini might be an interesting concept, it's small enough that the device can be easily rotated to maximize the display area. Even most standard PC monitors can rotate, not to mention proximity. That said a round iPad mini might be easier to hold without any hard corners to dig into a persons hands. However, there would definitely be trade offs, as the screen size would necessarily have to be smaller for a similar interaction, especially with respect to typing. But I'd like to see one. It would have to constantly adjust orientation relative to the viewer since there would no longer be a discernible top and bottom.

    As for the need for a screen, I disagree. As a stand-alone device in a non-Apple household, maybe he's right. In that sense it makes a good halo device to pull people into the Apple ecosystem. However, who's going to buy that as their first Apple product? Apple has to offer something more, and perhaps their original content is going to be a key ingredient. Nevertheless, why would Apple compete in that level? As many have stated, a screen is redundant in an Apple household where phones and iPads and Apple TVs, and watches abound. Perhaps if this device is located in the kitchen where most of the family won't have the rest of their devices handy, but a screens a lot to add for that contingency. And he makes no real argument for having one, every scenario he mentions really describes an interaction with another device already, or outside the home. I'm not saying there's no reason not to have a screen -- with my Nest thermostat for instance, I often find getting up and directly interacting with the her most is far easier than opening the app on my iPad or iPhone and then navigating to the screen I want. Verbal commands would make more of a difference for me in that scenario, but then the software support would have to be there so that my phone or iPad would relay them wherever in the house I might be. But I still don't see a compelling reason for the voice controlled device to have a screen itself, unless as I mentioned, it's in a room without any other devices like my nest thermostat.
  • Reply 35 of 44
    digitalpendigitalpen Posts: 40member
    I would be surprised to see anything come from Apple that is a stand alone Siri speaker/device. 
    Siri is available on EVERY iPhone, iPad, iPod, iMac, MacBook... EVERYWHERE!
    doozydozenmac_128watto_cobra
  • Reply 36 of 44
    edac2edac2 Posts: 29member
    Isn't that the same Phil Schiller who said users wouldn't like touchscreen Macs? I'm beginning to think he should change his last name to Balmer. A screen lets Siri answer questions with "let me look that up" and "here's what I found." Not having a screen to fall back on will force Siri to use her words and stop being so verbally lazy.
    argonaut
  • Reply 37 of 44
    SoliSoli Posts: 10,035member
    edac2 said:
    Isn't that the same Phil Schiller who said users wouldn't like touchscreen Macs?
    Did he? When? What's your point, since there are no touchscreen Macs? It's not like him saying something that Apple then did, like with Jobs comment about the video-capable iPod.
    edited May 2017
  • Reply 38 of 44
    mattinozmattinoz Posts: 2,299member
    I would be surprised to see anything come from Apple that is a stand alone Siri speaker/device. 
    Siri is available on EVERY iPhone, iPad, iPod, iMac, MacBook... EVERYWHERE!
    Not every iPod, they should fix that and the job is done.
  • Reply 39 of 44
    mattinozmattinoz Posts: 2,299member
    Soli said:
    edac2 said:
    Isn't that the same Phil Schiller who said users wouldn't like touchscreen Macs?
    Did he? When? What's your point, since there are no touchscreen Macs? It's not like him saying something that Apple then did, like with Jobs comment about the video-capable iPod.
    During Mac Pro we screwed up selected journo round table.
    So no video so hard to say exactly what was said. The report suggested that no direct touch screen iMac or Pro but could come as better connection between iPad and Mac.
  • Reply 40 of 44
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,718member
    Soli said:
    Soli said:
    In a truly connected home the microphone(s), the speaker(s), and the display(s) don't have to be on the same device. Being able to softly speak a command that will play audio or display images/video seamlessly is more important than having dedicated a smart picture frame, smart speaker, or smart TV.

       You "get" it Soli.   I've got a hunch that that's where Apple may be going with this.   Most of have Siri with a screen and speakers they're called iPod Touch/iPhone/iPads.  

    BUT....BUT....BUT 

    Imagine I ask for something on the Siri speaker and it displays picture and video content on my Apple TV or  mobile device?   It almost becomes a 2nd screen scenario that Apple abandoned where you had differing content across your iPhone and Apple TV but in sync. 

    Leverage the screens people already have.  

    Hmmmm perhaps there's a major update to Airplay that will facilitate making all of this work
    For a 3rd-party app, Spotify has done a great job in syncing devices. I can play via my iPhone, Mac, Amazon Echo, Samsung TV, and Apple TV with ease by using a web browser and iPhone app to change the audio source with Spotify Connect, which might be a premium-only service. It was also the easiest process I've ever seen to add a new device because it knew when you accessed the app that your location had other authenticated devices on that local network (not even a one-time code to input on an access page). Maybe that's too insecure for other solutions, like iCloud as a whole, but for streaming music it's fine and I never had to give Samsung my Spotify login.

    It's missing the quintessential feature to say to the Echo or Siri Remote to play on a different device, but I have to think that's the future. And not just music. I'd like to be walking through the home and have the mics and speakers be intelligent enough to follow me around whether I'm on a call to listening to an podcast, but that sort of intelligence, while possible, still may be a ways off. How long ago did Apple buy indoor mapping software? (edit: WiFiSlam in 2013, and Indoor.io in December 2016, plus other mapping and location companies that could potentially be used for indoor mapping.)

    You can do this with the Echo right now from an iOS or Android device after you've paired it to a device by saying "Alexa, Connect," which I use when I come back inside after driving, walking, jogging, doing yard work, whatever, and I want to continue the music, SiriusXM, podcast, audiobook, phone call, whatever to which I'm currently listening. The only drawback is that it's limited to the last device you Paired, which for me isn't an issue but that would be for other households, which is why I'd love to see user profiles established, but we don't yet have that for the Apple TV so who knows when that will happen. Could we see Touch ID and an OLED display on the Siri Remote?
    So far the Apple TV's music control and the use for searching Netflix is about as far as I've delved.  I just installed the ecobee and its satellite thermostat after throwing the Nest out.  I read it is able to work with Apple's Home Kit but I've yet to figure out how to control it with Siri but I presume I could somehow.  The ecobee has the ability to 'follow you around' if you have the satellites allowing for fine tuning of where in the home your preferred temperature is focussed.  Now we just need smart controllable duct vents for the AC to make that even better and economical.

    Phil's comments about photography intrigued me, as I've never tried talking to Siri with Photos so I'm not sure if that was all future speak or if there is already some voice control in Photos or is this something new in the pipeline I wonder.

     I hope Apple continues to enhance macOS's Siri as I am still using Macs 95% of the time and to your point there is not enough intra-device connectivity, it would be nice if like Keychain, Siri was able to be aware of all my devices and operate across them seamlessly for local use.  I should be able to ask Siri on my MBP for example, to control the Apple TV in the Living Room.  As it is we all have multiple 'Siris' that are separate in their abilities locally yet cross-device using Calendars and the like where the operations go through iCloud.
    edited May 2017
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