Before he died, Steve Jobs left clues that he was working on a new product that would revolutionize how we interact with our TVs. He envisioned the product would have the simplest user interface imaginable, and would eliminate the collections of remote controls that litter living rooms. After years of struggling with the Apple TV set-top box, which was never a huge success, Steve fel that this new product would be the solution.
Many tech executives agree that an Apple TV set is likely to make use of humankind’s most natural interface: the voice. Already, millions of Apple customers are talking to their new iPhone 4S, thanks to Siri, a program that tries to provide an answer to questions. Whether the rumors are true that Apple is planning to release a TV set by 2013, Siri-like voice recognition is headed for the living room. Microsoft is already there, via its Xbox 360 game console, and Comcast, Samsung Electronics, LG, and Sharp are working on voice-enabled features for TV sets, set-top boxes, and related products.
Microsoft has the early lead thanks to Kinect, however, most consumers’ first opportunity to talk to their TVs—and have them listen—will be through voice-enabled apps for their smartphone or tablet. While some companies are creating voice-automated apps for mobile devices, others are looking to fix rather than eliminate the remote. Prototypes are being designed around a single prominent button that activates a microphone. This however creates a new problem-cost. Since such a device would need a microphone and Wi-Fi antenna instead of the infrared sensors now commonly used, inevitably that would drive up costs. Industry politics will also be an issue-equipment makers need to agree on which device runs the show.
