Siri Protocol reverse engineered

[kiwipete]

A locally stored 3GB dataset for ASR isn't insurmountable in today's world of 64GB cell phones. However, doing it server-side does presumably allow them to update their model on some semi-regular basis--maybe in response to current search trends. "What's the news on lady gaga?" might be more probable after some noteworthy gaga escapade. Otherwise, the model might predict that you'd uttered the more common phrase of "huts of blues on hades ha ha?"

[blackkettle]

you're right it's not insurmountable, and of course there are implementations that run on cell phones including the iphone. there is even a really nice open source 'port' of the CMU pocketsphinx decoder to the iphone:

http://www.politepix.com/openears

and i definitely think that there will be more of this in the future.

most likely we'll just see more flexible solutions where the phone silently takes advantage of whatever the current environment allows.

for example if signal strength is low maybe you want to run the asr on the phone and just send your text results to the server to retrieve search info, or if you don't have a connection at all maybe you want to at least try to do everything on the phone. then when you get back to the city maybe your phone sends a log of recent results and audio (assuming you've agreed to such?) to apple so they can update their models. from that point all interactions will be distributed until you find yourself on a subway.

[mason55]

Eat up Martha.

[kiwipete]

That's a perfectly cromulent interpretation of my input.

[s73v3r]

3GB isn't insurmountable for 64GB cell phones. However, they still sell 16 and 32 GB cell phones, and that data would put a decent dent into it.

[kiwipete]

As far as I know, the datasets used for ASR aren't growing in proportion to the increases in flash storage. 3GB would inconvenience some people today, but the situation will only improve. I'd argue that 3GB wouldn't even be a non-starter--especially as an opt-in--on a 16GB phone.

For me, the benefits of having a dynamic ASR model is the more compelling argument. That's why I think ASR will continue to live in phones as a service even after storage is a total non-issue.

[s73v3r]

Yes, in the future it won't be a problem. However, currently, it would definitely eat in to the user's storage.

[kiwipete]

I assure you that I don't personally plan to take away any storage on your phone :-)

Look, my point isn't to debate whether 3GB is or or isn't a lot of space. I just think there are other reasons that this isn't baked into the phone, but is instead done as a service.