Update 3: A tweet from @graymccarty, Apple’s Retail Marketing Coordinator states:
@iMikeBeas I should clarify – Siri will be turned on in Canada, but is not optimized for Canadian English or any regional accents unlike
Update 2: Macgasm has heard from Apple, and this is what Apple’s PR Manager had to say:
“There is not a Canadian version of Siri.”
TiPB’s Rene Ritchie also heard the same speak from Apple. This is an interesting development, that is on the verge of devastation. Jim Dalrymple did mention access to US Siri in Canada. Stay tuned as this post will be updated once we find out more.
Update 1: Jim Dalrymple (a Canuck) from The Loop attended the Let’s Talk iPhone event, and has confirmed Siri is coming to Canada (phew):
Many have become concerned that Siri will not be available in Canada, but it will. I’ve confirmed with Apple that Canadian users will be able to turn on Siri on their phones.
Siri is localized in US, UK and Australia, French and German. The company didn’t specifically use Canadian in the technology, but it worked just fine for me.
As for why Siri is absent from Apple.ca, Jim responded to me with:
Because they didn’t officially use the language.
In other words, Siri hasn’t been localized for Canadian to be put on Apple.ca, yet. But it’s coming.
===
Apple announced their last voice assistant ‘Siri’ is currently in beta. The feature is mentioned on Apple US, France, Germany, and more–but not on Apple Canada. As per Phil Schiller, via gdgt:
“It’ll be built-in with support for English, French, and German. It will be beta at the start; by beta we mean we’ll add more languages and services over time.”
From the US Apple website on Siri:
Siri is available in Beta only on iPhone 4S and requires Internet access. Siri may not be available in all languages or in all areas, and features may vary by area. Cellular data charges may apply.
The last time I tried out Siri it was only available in the US App Store. Since it’s in beta, will Canada get the shaft on this amazing feature, even though we’re part of the original October 14th launch? Siri is most likely localized for the USA.
Check out the screenshot of the iPhone 4S features page from Apple.ca–Siri is missing:
Apple’s websites have been hit hard after the event, so this could be a glitch. But if it isn’t, get your pitch forks and two by fours with rusty nails ready.
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is Siri 4S exclusive?
Yes.
ugh. not cool. Worst apple event ever.
I want Steve Jobs back already.
RIP 🙁
No. Siri is exclusive to iOS 5, not iPhone 4S. So if you put iOS 5 on iphone 4, you will still have Siri even if its not 4S…
Wrong, the Apple US site mentions that it will be iPhone 4S only.
Bullshit, its 4s exclusive
Apple didn’t say that.
Actually, according to reports that is incorrect. Siri is iPhone 4S only.
are those reports accurate?? or by apple??? i dont see what hardware difference it would require to enable Siri that 4S has & 4 doesnt.
personally i really hope it is part of iOS 5 & not the phone!
There’s a huge hardware difference. The 4s has the A5 chip – Siri apparently requires that processing power to function (or at least to function quickly enough to meet Apple’s usability standards).
The Apple US website mentions that it will be iPhone 4S only in the small prints.
iPhone 4S only or A5 chip only ? Cause what about iPad 2…
Excellent point! I want this on my iPad 2!
It’s not a glitch, the US website mentions this:
“Siri is available in Beta only on iPhone 4S and requires Internet access. Siri may not be available in all languages or in all areas, and features may vary by area. Cellular data charges may apply.”
I can’t remember if they said it supports French. If it doesn’t I’m guessing we’ll have to wait until it does before it releases in Canada.
It does, France will be getting Siri.
This kind of service needs informations regarding your local area. For example, if you ask Siri for the closest best Chinese restaurant, it needs to have that information somewhere. I guess their database is not ready for Canada yet.
It’s available in France, so I don’t think this is the problem.
Ah, but France French is not *Quebecois* French!
Think I’m joking? France-dubbed movies aren’t allowed, they must be dubbed by Quebec voice actors.
If the Siri holdup in Canada is due to some bilingual requirement I will be extremely pissed. But I reserve judgment until I know more.
This was my thought. For an application which is so refined surely it requires a very high understanding of the imported voice. Given the delta between French and Quebec French it might be the case that this is being treated as a new language to ensure the service works to Apple’s standards.
So what happenes if you have a canadian purchased iPhone and you drive to the US, will it work then? or is the feature only installed on US iPhones?
I doubt that Apple would make a different iOS build… it will probably just be disabled in Canada, remains to be seen how they will be disabling it (most likely based on your phone number/carrier). I’m sure jailbreakers will be working to enable this.
Siri works in the US, UK, and France. No reason that it shouldn’t be allowed in Canada. Apple Canada better do some major advertising for this iPhone 4S, without Siri, there is no point in upgrading… Missing my iPhone 5… 🙁
It is not as simple as “allowed” or “not allowed”.
Siri service involves backend server hardware support and country specific database.
Maybe it is not yet ready, or our market is not large enough for the investment.
Anyways, Canada at least made it to the “first launch” group of countries, instead of being lumped into the “rest of the world”. That’s some progress, I guess….
I understand now. Its because if they were to localize it for “Canada”. It would have to be in french as well. I think thats why.Edit: Quebec speaks a different “French” and considering this localization is not text only, that might be why Apple went through all the trouble of removing all reference on the official site. They can’t legally say it supports Canada if it doesn’t support French Canadians.
Yeah. It probably takes time and they will release it when it’s right, rather than mentioning it on the site now.
That is completely understandable. But for areas where Siri is absent, prices should be lower, no?
No way that’s a glitch. Every mention of Siri is curiously absent from Canada’s page. Even the 4S video has had the Siri parts snipped out.
its not a glitch. there’s alot of purposeful editing going on. The homepage image is different (US site shows siri on the central iphone, canada website shows notification centre) the promotional video on the canada website has the entire siri section edited out. not to mention theres no mention of siri in any of the 4S’ feature list on the site itself.
There’s no other logical reason for all that editing other than Siri appears to not be coming to Canada.
I am really, seriously disappointed if Siri does not come to Canada. Siri is the major selling feature of this new iPhone. If this doesn’t come at launch to Canadians with the iPhone 4S, I hope it gets updated within the first couple months…
Woah. If we get shafted with this, I seriously will reconsider upgrading from my 4. Somebody better email Tim…
I blame the CRTC. They have to have their grimy hands in this somehow. Probably something to do with protecting our culture.
I’m only half kidding I think.
Then this iphone is completely useless…
Siri will also be available in Australia according to Apple Australia website. Don’t understand why Canada is left out of this….
Don’t think it’s a glitch because Siri is omitted from the promotional video at apple.ca
Everyone over-hyped this. There is a motto used in business, Under-promise, over-deliver and your customers will be overwhelmed. Over-promise, under-deliver and your customers will be disappointed.
This wasn’t Apple’s fault but still…Disappointment!
Will it be available for Canada on launch though??
Yes
“localized for Canadian”, when did Canadian become a language? Does that include “eh” and “hoser”?
We speak and use British English.
We don’t use British English. It’s an amalgamation of North America and England. But the truth is it has nothing to do with english it’s because of the silly official language being French and English. And let’s face it, in speaking terms the English is the same as the states. It’s tar written that’s different.
The difference between a Canuck and an Englishman doesn’t seem too much but when it comes to voice controlled things like phones the difference is dramatic. I’m English living here and find all the automated voice system have a terrible time with my accent until I pretend to speak Canuck.
From a Quebec journalist who tried the iPhone 4S :
« Sauf que Siri est une application bêta, donc pas entièrement polie, et dès qu’on sort des paramètres établis, ça paraît. L’application comprend l’anglais américain, l’anglais international, l’anglais britannique, le français et l’allemand. Notez l’absence de nuance pour le français et l’allemand. La reconnaissance vocale dans ces deux langues est d’ailleurs beaucoup moins efficace qu’en anglais.Autre détail agaçant, pour plusieurs de ses fonctions, Siri recourt à des services tiers qui ne s’étendent pas au Canada : directions routières, recommandation de restaurants, etc. Autrement dit, les acheteurs canadiens trouveront que la principale nouveauté du iPhone 4S est lourdement handicapée, surtout si le français est leur langue maternelle. »Source: http://technaute.cyberpresse.ca/nouvelles/mobilite/201110/04/01-4454215-essai-du-iphone-4s-le-canada-restera-sur-sa-faim.phpTo translate quickly, he says French and German vocal recognition isn’t working as good as in English. He is also saying that Siri is using 3rd party services not available in Canada (like for driving direction, restaurants recommendations, etc…). Maybe Siri is not on the Apple Canada website because it is missing these local features.
So in short, the iPhone 4S is a big piece of iPhone 4[S]h*it in Canada! 🙁
For restaurants… Yelp works in Canada, it will work better if you all start using it. As for the French Canadian French… well might be time to brush it off with a quick trip to Paris.
From MG Siegler’s blog, who tried the iPhone 4S in the UK:
« Siri didn’t work for me when UK English was turned on. When I switched to US English, it worked perfectly. It understands accents. »Source: http://parislemon.com/post/11038589347/she-him
This would seem to confirm your source about Siri being available in Canada, if you can switch like that. It will probably be disabled in Canada by default though.
siri is the least attractive feature of the iphone 4s. i could count the times on one hand that i’ve ever actually wanted/needed to talk at my phone for it to do something.
I’m imagining a conversation that went something like this:
Apple: “Who do we talk to get more information on Canadian language so we can get it implemented in Siri?”
Apple Canada: “That would be the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages”
Apple: “But we’ve got French and English ready to go, so we’re good right?”
Apple Canada: “That won’t fly; you need buy-in by Quebec because they don’t recognize the international French you have queued up”.
Apple: “Quebec? Hmm, well how about to start if we just sell it everywhere in Canada, except in Quebec?”
Apple Canada: “If you want to sign a death wish, then go right ahead”
Apple: “Understood. Guys, I need you to yank Siri from the 4S for the Canadian distro. How quickly can you get that done?”
Apple: “Oh yeah make sure you talk to the comm folks too, to tweak the site”
For your 3rd update, did you mean to say: “If you are from Newfoundland, you are screwed”
Geeeeeezuz Chrrrist eh? We Canadians don’t talk any different then those hosers down south! There is no doot aboooot it, Apple really screwed us feeer suurrrrre eh?
Called apple today and asked about Siri in Canada and they said it’s not available in Canada. Period.
Call apple yourself.
Siri not available in Canada at all!
Not on Canadian iPhone 4s!
Simply call apple and you’ll get this answer instead of this stupid
Blogging and tweeting nonsense!!!!!
I just got the phone. Basically Siri works. Sort of. It can’ t do anything with a map, as in take me here, or take me home ect.
I’m sure an update will fix that eventually.
Called up local Apple retail, and Apple Customer Services. They both said that Siri will not be available in Canada.
This is very sad news. Can anybody in Canada who received the iPhone 4S early or a tech journalist confirm or deny this?
Siri is available when you pick up the 4S here in Canada but not all features are yet enabled. But, no worries, Siri (full featured) is coming to Canada in a forthcoming Siri update. Remember its BETA
I have the new phone and picked it up at a Canadian telus store. It does have Siri but you have to turn it on through settings first. Works great
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