Siri Can’t Understand Your Awful Australian Accent
Throw another what on the WHAT?
Have you ever barked a command into your iPhone only to have Siri blink back vacantly at you like a bored bartender at a noisy club?
Well, in a matter of months, this may be an issue of the past. Apple are hiring a number of Language Engineers to help teach Siri – Apple’s inbuilt knowledge navigator – to better understand the drawling, nuanced beast that is the Australian accent.
MacRumours points to a number of Siri Language Engineer positions being advertised by Apple, including one specific to ‘Australian English’. “We are an extremely diverse and passionate group dedicated to bringing the future of intelligent assistants to the world”, reads the rather futuristic posting. “Knowing your local market is key”. Whether or not this means teaching Siri the lyrics to Cold Chisel songs, the names of rugby league players, and to drop her ‘Gs’ after two drinks isn’t detailed in the job listing.
The newly-cultured Siri is expected to be rolled out this September as part of iOS 8, which will also include features such as time-lapse photography and improved Touch ID technology.
Siri, in her defence, has adopted a fairly convincing Aussie accent since iOS 7.1 but she’s hardly likely to be confused for Dave Hughes anytime soon.