Siri-style voice commands for TV? Some iPhone 4S users want it
Over 50% of U.S. users of Apple iPhone 4S are "very satisfied" with the Siri voice-command feature, according to new consumer research from Parks Associates (http://www.parksassociates.com). What's more, 37% percent of iPhone 4S owners also want to have a similar voice-command interface for their TV set, though about 20% wouldn't, notes the research group.
Consumers like Siri because it's convenient, easy to use, and helpful for remembering important information (e.g., birthdays) and its hands-free capability makes it easy to send texts, emails, and phone calls, according oto John Barrett, director, Consumer Analytics, Parks Associates. He says that Apple could soon be launching a TV set with a Siri voice interface. The popularity and usability of the company's natural-language user interface could determine the extent of Apple's impact on the TV market.
"People are expressing some reservations about Siri that could impact its popularity on other platforms," Barrett says. "Some said Siri didn't work well against background noise. Others said it had trouble understanding commands. These problems could be amplified in a noisy living room, where the main TV would be located."
However, multiscreen is the next battleground for content delivery. Siri could represent a business model breakthrough for Apple in driving content consumption on its iOS Platform to multiple screens in the home.
-- Dennis Sellers