By Emma Reynolds 
It’s not every day that you hear a loyal Apple commentator launching a full-throttle attack on the tech giant. However, John Gruber, one of the most respected voices in the Apple community, recently did just that. His bone of contention? Siri’s unfulfilled promises, which he terms as ‘vaporware.’
The term ‘vaporware’ is a blistering word in the tech world, usually used to describe products announced with much fanfare but never delivered or falling short of the hype. Unfortunately, Gruber believes Siri, the once revolutionary voice assistant, now falls into this category. He argues that Siri, which was once a shining star in Apple’s product line, has failed to evolve or innovate as competitors like Amazon’s Alexa and Google’s Assistant have made significant strides.
Gruber’s criticism comes hot on the heels of the iOS 15 release, where Siri improvements were noticeably absent from the highlight reel. As he puts it, Apple seems to have “lost the plot with Siri.” This is a sharp departure from the initial vision for Siri, which was touted as a groundbreaking innovation set to redefine our interaction with technology.
However, Gruber’s critique isn’t just about pointing fingers. He also offers a few insights on what Apple could do to reclaim its position. For starters, he believes that Apple needs to start treating Siri not just as a feature, but as a product in its own right. According to him, this shift in perspective is vital if Apple hopes to compete with Amazon and Google, who have made significant investments in their respective voice assistants.
Moreover, Gruber posits that Apple’s stringent privacy policies, although commendable, might be holding Siri back. While other tech companies leverage user data to improve their voice assistants’ responsiveness and effectiveness, Apple’s commitment to privacy means Siri doesn’t have access to the same breadth of data. Could loosening these restrictions, while still maintaining user privacy, be the key to Siri’s resurgence?
Gruber’s critique should serve as a wake-up call for Apple. While the company continues to impress with its hardware innovations, the software, specifically Siri, needs urgent attention. Apple’s voice assistant has the potential to be a game-changer once again, but only if the company is willing to make the necessary changes and investments.
In the ever-evolving landscape of technology, resting on past laurels is a recipe for obsolescence. Siri’s journey from revolutionary to ‘vaporware’ serves as a stark reminder of this fact. It remains to be seen how Apple will respond to Gruber’s critique, but one thing is clear – Siri’s future hinges on it.