As some of you guys might recall, last October Apple acquired a company called VocalIQ. For those who are unfamiliar with the company or the acquisition, one of VocalIQ’s selling points is that they have created spoken interfaces that could be used in all kinds of applications, ranging from cars, wearables, internet-connected devices, and so on.
Many had naturally assumed that the tech was bought to help bolster Siri, but as it turns out, Apple has even grander plans for it. A report from Tech Insider has revealed that Apple is planning on using VocalIQ’s technology to create a next-gen natural language API that will be used to power their rumored Amazon Echo competitor (which other rumors claim will come in the form of the next-gen Apple TV).
Not too long ago, it was rumored that Apple was planning on opening up Siri’s API to developers and create a device that would rival the Amazon Echo, and now the report claims that VocalIQ’s tech could be the one behind it. The report says that Apple has tested VocalIQ against Siri, Google Now, and Cortana, and found it to be more superior when it comes to dealing with complex natural language requests.
What this means is that you could talk to the device like you would a person, like asking for a restaurant recommendation that’s nearby with free WiFi and ample parking. You could then change your mind a few hours later and the platform will be able to pick up right where you left off, as opposed to current platforms where the search would start all over again. Take it with a grain of salt for now, but Apple’s WWDC is coming up very soon so hopefully more details will be revealed then.
Filed in . Read more about Amazon Echo and Siri.