Siri–the equally impressive and gimmicky iPhone 4S’ smart assistant–connects to Apple’s servers every time you ask for something or dictate a message. It sends your query and analyses it, returning you whatever it thinks is the correct answer or action.
This means that, depending on how much you use it, it may affect your data plan. But how much?
Jacqui Cheng at Ars Technica tested the consumption using various questions. She found out that, on average, you can expect Siri to consume 63KB per query. According to her calculations, that would put about 4 to 30MB on top of your usual data consumption, depending on your usage.
Hardly dangerous for any plan, but a useful tidbit for all those three iPhone users who spend all their day trying to have virtual sex with Siri. [Ars Technica]
David
Wednesday, November 2, 2011 at 9:32 AM4 to 30 meg in total is not a lot, but then again some people only have 200MB plans. I tend to use Siri a lot, but mostly in wireless areas around home so I have yet to see an increase in my data use
Ryan
Wednesday, November 2, 2011 at 9:41 AMWait for the people that use it overseas and get stung with data roaming, same with iMessage actually.
ANONOMOOSE
Wednesday, November 2, 2011 at 10:00 AMData roaming is turned off in iPhones by default so tbh if your stupid enough to go out of your way to turn it on you deserve a huge bill
Graham
Wednesday, November 2, 2011 at 10:11 AMI really dont think anyone deserves the huge bills associated with accidentally or unknowningly having data roaming enabled on their phone whilst overseas. Only a small proportion of people actually understand the ramifications until its too late and contracts and costs are intentionally hard to wade through for this reason. What is stupid is the extortionist fees the unknowing are charged by carriers for a few 0′s and 1′s.
anonymouse
Wednesday, November 2, 2011 at 12:56 PMI don’t think I should have to pay for supermarket goods, because I don’t know how they are produced.
Get off it. If you sign a contract, read what’s in it and understand the charges before you sign it.
JC
Wednesday, November 2, 2011 at 1:24 PMAnd for those who don’t read their contracts. You need to watch the SouthPark episode Human Cent-iPad.
Ryan
Wednesday, November 2, 2011 at 1:04 PMI agree that they SHOULD be aware if they have turned on data usage. I am also equally sure that there will be a percentage of people that WONT be aware that iMessage and Siri use a data connection. It was hard enough for me to explain to some people at work that travel OS that they are not to use Email (cough…Foursquare/Facebook…cough) overseas unless via WiFi….
I am not blaming Apple in anyway, however the Telcos need to be looked at, especially when they double dip. For example Telstra charge an extortionate rate per MB and also charge a ‘connection fee’ per data session.
Michael
Wednesday, November 2, 2011 at 8:01 PMDoesn’t iMessage automatically detect if there is a data network available before choosing to send as an sms or iMessage? One would then assume that with data roaming off it would just default to SMS whilst overseas.
Roachless
Wednesday, November 2, 2011 at 10:22 AMwait.. so the reason siri is NOT on the iphone 4 is supposed to be processor power.. which is already a load of BS.. why the hell does she have to connect to apples servers everytime you ask her something??
Stu
Wednesday, November 2, 2011 at 12:48 PMSo apple can get to know they’re consumer a bit more.
danny
Wednesday, November 2, 2011 at 12:50 PMSo Apple can send the request to India where thousands of children are frantically typing answers to questions about hiding bodies and blowjobs………
Steve
Wednesday, November 2, 2011 at 2:07 PMBecause the Siri Exclusivity on the IP4S is bullshit. It was an IOS4 app with working compatibility with the IP4 before being pulled.
Why? So if you REALLY want the Siri experience, you’ll just have to pony up for their newest device.
mattt
Wednesday, November 2, 2011 at 2:30 PMOr wait about a week for development to finish, jailbreak your iPhone 4, then purchase an S sticker for your device.
Kroo
Wednesday, November 2, 2011 at 7:18 PMMaybe because it’s still in beta. Apple have said nothing about it being exclusive to iP4s, or if it won’t make it to iP4. If 30 million iP4 users have Siri and start slamming the servers, how do you think the experience would be then? A slow rollout, wise on Apples part, but everyone cries about it. You can’t please everyone, and I wouldn’t even try pleasing you selfish, me me me types.
Sam
Wednesday, November 2, 2011 at 3:17 PMthey don’ thave an S sticker?
the one i saw off my mate doesn’t have one…
Thruppence
Wednesday, November 2, 2011 at 7:50 PM“Spend all their day trying to have virtual sex with Siri” – battery allowing, of course…