How to Integrate Siri in Your iOS App

Since the creation of the first computers, scientists, and experienced developers always want to make their and our lives much easier and more convenient. As you might see in many sci-fi movies, mankind strive to give technical means a certain similarity of the mind and behavior (in human understanding).

One of these points is to understand human speech. After all, who would not want the computer to understand what you're saying, right? And if it could answer you? A very specific answer to a specific question.

This is what Apple did in 2011, presenting a voice recognition assistant (for iOS) - Siri.

In this article, we will talk about such questions as: how to integrate siri in iphone app (in terms of application development), third-party apps + siri integration and more. But before that, let’s talk about Siri itself.

Siri’s history

Before answering this question, we need to know the background of Siri creation, how and by whom it was made, how many years were expended.

This technology was founded (or Artificial Intelligence) by SRI International, which at the time was a division of DARPA, in 2007. But this is something that concerns the known side, and in fact, studies in this area (human voice recognition) started over 40 years ago and have attended many of research institutes. For example, such as a private University of Rochester, Leland Stanford Junior University as well as many others.

Later, Apple has begun negotiations with Nuance to use developed technologies, which results we now observe.

Read also: Android vs iOS development battle

What is Siri

Siri is a voice recognition assistant, which is designed to make our lives easier and more convenient. With its help, it is possible to shift some daily tasks and simple functions, as well as to request help in some things.

Starting with iOS 5, Siri does not cease to grow and amaze its users with new features (especially with iOS 10, there will be available a lot more features for users and developers), mainly due to SiriKit APIs (Siri kit integration).

Previously, other assistants worked like just asking a search engine, but Siri works with different services to accurately answer questions, including very complex issues: the asked question is sent to Apple's servers, where it is processed and routed to the appropriate service (e.g. Google, Citysearch, Yahoo Local, ReserveTravel).

Globally, to search information about upcoming events Siri refers to Eventful and other services; if you ask about films - Rotten Tomatoes and bunch of other resources. So, the assistant can cope with everyday issues.

But the key feature is to work with WolframAlpha. This technology allows Siri to give answers to the most difficult questions because WolframAlpha has positioned itself as computational knowledge engine.

As a result, Siri can "understand" speech and free form human issues rather than a specific command. For example the question: "Should I take an umbrella today," assistant analyzes and understands that it needs to answer the question - what the weather is expected in the local area.

Top of useful and fun features that can integrate applications with Apple's Siri:

• Display a flights list that are over your head at the moment;

• You can learn about the number of calories in the food;

• If you urgently need Morse code - ask Siri, she knows it;
Uncomfortable to print text at the moment? There is a solution - you dictate, Siri records;

• If you have a lot of work to do, or you constantly forget something, do not hesitate to ask your assistant to remind you about important events;

• If you are on a trip out or on vacation and do not know about local attractions and their geographical location, Siri can help you, because it knows almost everything!

Now let's get back to where we started, and what we wanted to find out in this article.

Real also: Native vs Cross Platform App Development

Siri app integration

It's no secret that Apple is building a closed ecosystem that works well and often makes the revolution in the operation and use of their operating systems and devices. But there are some drawbacks to this approach - many of the functions remain closed to third-party developers. This made to improve the quality of the end product and its incredible security, but what about those, for whom is not enough to have such functions? This question was answered by the company itself when they opened for us new information about its macOS Sierra and - iOS 10 (with Siri API). It provides iOS app developers with new opportunities.

Now, finally, if you want to develop Siri app, you have such opportunity, albeit in a slightly compressed in terms of the sense of the available categories. Categories exposed in the form of "domains" and allow you to work with:

1. Audio (VOIP) and video calls;

2. Messaging and contacts;

3. Making payments with Siri;

4. Photo searching;

5. Workouts;

6. Working with maps (ridebooking);

In addition, new operating systems, improved collaboration, and integration of functions and services for large and mobile OS. For example, you can now share links, media content and the text between devices "on the fly".

Conclusion

Thanks to tight integration, new versions of Sirikit and Xcode, developers now much easier to integrate applications with Apple’s Siri functionality and a new type of comfort to their applications.

If you working in the field of transport services, health care or other areas covered by the new Sirikit functions and would like to create your application, you should not hesitate because it's a real chance to release a prodigious product or service!

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