`SIRI`OUS FEATURE OR NOT

In a New York Times blog post Nick Bilton laments that his romance with the iPhone application - Siri has grown sour. Bilton highlights some of the weaknesses of the Siri application including : frequently misunderstanding voice commands and sometimes being unavailable.

These criticisms are largely valid, however the article points out that Siri is among the most popular features of the iPhone 4S. The blog post references a survey of 482 iPhone owners in which most people indicated they really like the service. So why do people rate the feature so high, despite the failings.

I believe the answer lies in the combination of brand loyalty and expectations. First, Apple consumers are among the most loyal. Second, Siri was introduced as a Beta test. I would surmise that most people believe the idea of having a voice activated digital assistant is an exciting notion, and are prepared to be patient in the beginning. So while Google Voice Search might have an edge in terms of performance, I suspect that the Siri application will improve and enjoy the benefits of being attached to one of the most successful products of our generation.

Apple customers are loyal, but they also have high expectations. Siri will need to significantly improve in the not too distant future. 

How would you rate the Siri application?