Apple made some disappointing news this morning. The company announced that it has no plans (now or in the future) to make Siri available on older iPhone models. In one swift movement, Apple has made the iPhone 4, and those that came before it, obsolete. If you were hoping that Apple would come up with a way for you to download Siri to your older iPhone, you’re out of luck. Siri, as it turns out, is something that Apple is looking to use in the future, and the iPhone 4S is just the beginning.
Siri has certainly had its share of problems ever since its release. The program isn’t perfect, and many people have reported glitches and other issues. Yet, as imperfect as Siri is, this program is also the way that Apple intends to go in the future. Why can’t Apple develop a Siri for older phones? There are lots of theories surrounding this question.
So, Apple, What’s the Problem?
Some say that Siri takes up too much space for older iPhones. Others (and this might be a more valid point) say that Apple’s servers simply won’t accept Siri requests from older iPhones. Then again, this could all be part of Apple’s marketing plan. If Siri isn’t available for use with older phones, people will have to buy a newer iPhone (if they want Siri, that is). Apple is creating a demand, but that demand might be on hold until Apple works out the kinks.
If Apple intends to see older iPhone users on a new iPhone, Siri will have to be perfect.
Right now, Siri is a neat idea, but it’s not perfection. One has to wonder whether or not Apple knew this going out of the gate, but decided to go ahead with the iPhone 4S launch anyway. After all, the company did need a testing market, and now that Siri has proven to be a big hit, Apple may perfect the program. Apple may even come out with a version of Siri that’s so much better it warrants its own phone – possibly the ever-anticipated iPhone 5.
Losing Market Ground?
Will Apple lose a large portion of its devoted market over news that Siri won’t be available for older iPhones? It is possible that some Apple iPhone 4 users are now looking to other phones as replacements. There are, after all, quite a few appealing smartphones on the current market. Apple may have lost some customers with the launch of the iPhone 4S too. Those who purchase the new phone only to find out that Siri is full of glitches probably aren’t thrilled with this purchase.
Apple should be careful during the next iPhone launch. If the company plans on introducing anything like Siri, it would be wise for Apple to make sure that this new program is perfect. Otherwise, Apple could lose its stronghold within the smartphone market. If you currently have an older iPhone, there’s no hope of Apple sending an altered version of Siri your way. However, there are some apps out there that do almost the same thing that Siri does, so you can check those out.