Siri, whose artificial intonations can be heard on Apples iPhones, will soon be piping up in new places. DirecTV, for instance.
While Apple owns the Siri application, Nuance Communications Inc. owns the rights to the voice and licenses it out. That allows DirecTV and perhaps other technology companies to use a voice customers recognize as they seek to replace clunky interfaces with more human ways of searching menus and data.
“We ask our customers what would add value to their entertainment experience,” DirecTV Chief Executive Officer Mike White said in an interview. “At the top of their request list is a voice function that allows them to change channels, ask for recommendations and access their content even faster just by speaking commands.”
The free app will be available to DirecTV customers this summer both for iPhones and devices that use Android, the operating system created by Google, Tony Goncalves, vice president of digital entertainment products, said in an interview.
The software will allow users to change the channel and search for live and on-demand programming with voice commands, such as “Find movies with Will Ferrell” or “Show me all Major League Baseball games on today.” Subscribers will be able to watch and control programming on their phones or on their TVs, depending on their preference.
DirecTV plans to seek feedback from customers before introducing the product formally. The app will eventually be available for tablet computers in addition to phones, Goncalves said.
From Bloomberg.com
