New iPad Sans Siri: Calculated Move or Big Mistake?

If you have been following stories about the new iPad since the device was unveiled on March 7, 2012, you would have realized by now that Siri is missing, and for reasons unknown, as Apple is yet to make a formal statement on the matter.

The whole tech industry was speculating on what the new iPad would bring to the table, and even if we had gotten everything else wrong, Siri shouldn’t have been one. The big question now - is the omission of Siri on the new iPad a big mistake, or a well planned move by Apple?

There are many reasons why Apple to choose to keep the new iPad in the dark where Siri is concerned. Some of them make sense. One reason could be because the iPad doesn’t have an Internet connection comparable to the iPhone, meaning, not every new iPad is capable of connecting to the Internet on the go due to some versions not having 4G. Siri relies heavily on the Internet to do what she does best. So no Internet, no Siri. Makes sense, doesn’t it? We think so too, but even if this is true, it doesn’t justify Apple’s action.

Despite the new iPad’s obvious limitation, many users have worked around the 3G problem for their Wi-Fi only iPad by purchasing a MiFi device. A MiFi wireless device is a 3G/4G device that is able to deliver Internet connection to up to 5 other devices wirelessly over WiFi. This shows that new iPad is more than capable of connecting to the Internet on the go, even without WiFi.

Another reason could be due to cost. Apple pays a handsome fee to Wolfram Alpha, as that is where Siri gets most of her information to bring to the user. This one doesn’t make much sense, since when money has been a problem to Apple? The company has been experiencing growth year over year and has slowly become the richest company known to man, with over $100 billion in the bank, so clearly it couldn’t have been over money.

Whatever the reasons are, Apple made a mistake by launching the new iPad, and giving the royal snub to Siri, all in the same breath. Adding Siri to the iPad would have made it a permanent feature in Apple’s identity and across all iOS devices.

Tell us, how would it look to you as a consumer to find a feature in iOS 5.1 for the iPhone 4S, only to see that it is missing from the same operating system in the new iPad? Doesn’t look good, we’re sure.

This move by Apple has given the competition a breathing space to plan for future tablet devices. Google is working on a new Voice Action feature for Android, which will be more like Siri and less like a stiff robot. Expect the company to drop in tablets, while Apple still ponders what to do with Siri.

(reported by Vamien McKalin, edited by Surojit Chatterjee)