Comment by xp84
8 hours ago
The "agent" stuff was a fascinating vision. It seems like an alternate history more than a future, as I'm sure if we all let our claws talk amongst themselves they won't be finding ways to collectively help us -- they'll probably be scamming crypto from each other or something.
Apple had a similar “agent” vision (I think I remember them talking about it last century).
So far, Siri is still pretty frustrating, and nowhere near their vision of a “digital PA.”
I'd make an argument for the idea that Siri (like the touch-based keyboard) has actually regressed.
I recall scoffing at the idea of a touchscreen based keyboard due to how close the buttons were already on my Nokia E63- and contending that without the tactile differentiation I wouldn't be able to effectively type.
Even on a 4" screen, it worked wonderfully, almost like magic.
Nowadays I'm forced to have a much larger screen and yet I make significantly more mistakes than I used to.
The same is true for Siri, things like "Hows the weather outside" and "I'm thinking of going for a walk" would bring back results like "It's currently raining" or "Bring a jacket, it will be cold".
There were also all kinds of fun interactions hidden in there.
Now it's "if you ask me again on your computer"; or "I found some web results".
My Homepod insists that it doesn't know where I live too, despite it being listed in the settings. And I can't ask it about my environment unless I use VERY specific wording despite it having a digital termometer built-in (based on the fact I can see it in my Home app).
Idk, something is fucky in the land of "once great" software from Apple.
I personally suspect that it’s because they had a huge hiring surge, in the last decade; mostly brogrammers.
We are now at “second generation” brogrammers, where the initial bunch are interviewing and hiring the next bunch, being careful to select jargonauts that don’t make them feel uncomfortable. They have also established the corporate culture.
Been happening in lots of companies. It’s just more jarring, with Apple, because we expect more from them.
Do any long time apple insiders here know why apple's software has gotten so much worse over the last 5+ years