Apple has filed another patent, and from the looks of it, their Siri voice activated personal assistant could play a major role in a long list of Apple’s future products.
According to Forbes:
The company filed a new patent application for Siri, which includes a diagram showing the voice-activated assistant could be included in many products and services, including computers, tablets, connected televisions, cameras, Web and e-mail platforms, and vehicles.
The patent doesn’t make clear exactly where the Cupertino, Calif.-based company will take Siri next, but it raises the possibility of branding all future Apple products with Siri technology, potentially starting with the next iPad release.
Such a move will closely tie intuitive voice recognition to Apple’s already-successful brand, and secure its leadership in the competitive voice technology race.
Competitor Google also has designs on voice command for it’s Android line of devices, and is rumored to be working on improving their voice capabilities to compete with Siri.
Amazon has entered the voice command race too, purchasing speech-to-text startup Yap late last year, hinting they would be including voice recognition in future models of its Kindle e-readers and tablets.
Forbes continues, “The patent also raises the question whether Siri will stay tethered to specific products, such as the iPhone, coming into play only when a user speaks into a device or pushes a button. Apple’s patent documentation suggests the future Siri could ‘act as a participant’ in discussion forums, chat sessions, or support calls, or that it can run other devices remotely, such as ‘dialing telephones, controlling light and temperature’ and ‘controlling home security devices.'”
Apple’s latest patent doesn’t tell us exactly where Siri may show up next, but it does raise many possibilities about how Apple could include voice recognition in their upcoming products.
