By Jason Snell

June 7, 2024 2:35 PM PT

Siri’s biggest gains might be found at the edges

We’re on the verge, maybe, of something big. Apple broke ground with its voice-driven Siri assistant back in 2011, but over the years, Siri’s trajectory has been meandering and frustrating. It’s driven deeply into popular culture—”Hey Siri” is practically a catchphrase—but it’s still painfully inconsistent at best and a failure at worst.

The rise of AI chatbots, which (despite their tendency to hallucinate) manage to project the illusion of intelligent conversation, has really put Siri up against it. This week, the Wall Street Journal reported that Apple had a faster, more conversational, and more accurate Siri waiting in the wings at least three years ago—but decided to go with a more modest upgrade code-named “Siri X.”

If the idea that someone inside Apple felt that Siri didn’t need to be more conversational and accurate makes you angry or confused or both, I’m right there with you. We can only hope that Apple has reconsidered its complacency over the last 18 months, since Apple executives reportedly realized that the rise of AI chatbots was destined to change user expectations.

I hope that the people who lost the arguments for a better Siri back then may have been winning those arguments for the past 18 months. And it’s made me optimistic—here in the shadow of WWDC, where everything’s possible, and nothing’s decided—that Apple might really be on the road to giving Siri the biggest upgrade it’s ever received.

That’s a big deal—and not just for the obvious reason, which is that I’d like to use Siri for something other than a tea timer or to add something to my shopping list. That’s because with a good, reliable, conversational Siri, a lot of Apple’s products can benefit.

When I’m running or walking my dog, I generally use just AirPods and my Apple Watch. Theoretically, I’m covered by Siri, but I generally avoid talking to it because it’s unreliable. I’ve also turned off all of the features that summarize messages I’m receiving because I find them awkward and unhelpful.

But imagine what a good Siri experience could unlock for users of AirPods, Apple Watch, or both. Humane built an entire product—the Ai Pin—out of a voice assistant that you carry around with you. But with a better Siri interface, Apple’s already most of the way there. The better the voice interface, the more useful your device can be when you need to interact with nothing but your voice.

Similarly, an upgraded Siri could be a huge step toward improving the CarPlay experience. As is the case with most contexts in which Siri is available, I’ve tried Siri in the car and learned my lesson—namely, to never use it again. When I’ve got to keep my hands on the wheel and my eyes on the road, being able to have a proper voice assistant that can summarize what’s going on, understand context, and follow up when I ask for it could be incredibly valuable. But Siri being unreliable has degraded that experience.

If there’s one place where the Humane Ai pin and those Meta Ray-Ban sunglasses have an edge over Apple’s stuff, it’s that they both offer a forward-facing camera to interpret the world around you. With an upgraded and competent Siri, it might make more sense for Apple to sell a pair of glasses or a clip-on camera pin as another accessory to help improve the data being input into Apple’s AI systems.

And then there’s the kitchen, where a device that combines a HomePod with a screen and camera might end up being quite welcome—I’ve used Google and Amazon devices in my kitchen for years—but it really needs to be rock-solid when it comes to voice commands. The Siri on my current HomePods doesn’t measure up.

Of course there are numerous ways that a better Siri and more AI-focused features can improve Apple’s core platforms. (I’d love a reason to use Siri on my Mac, for example, but I’ve never really found one.) But it strikes me that Apple’s biggest opportunity might actually be at the edges of our lives, where traditional interfaces are harder or even impossible to use. A useful Siri instantly makes the Apple Watch, AirPods, CarPlay, and HomePod better—and could facilitate even more interesting products to come.

But first thing’s first: Siri needs to get vastly better. I hope that we get the first sign of that on Monday.

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