Apple’s (NASDAQ:AAPL) voice recognition feature Siri, which appears on the iPhone 4S, can’t understand or speak Chinese. Perhaps it’s learning. But for now, despite most users probably knowing of this limitation before purchasing, it’s a frustrating omission.
That’s probably why two young Chinese nerds made the amusing video, below, about the language barrier that stands between them and their digital assistant.
Even without subtitles, you can sense the comedically exaggerated frustration at not being understood by your pricey smartphone. My favourite part is when the guy in the car resorts to a Chinese-to-English dictionary to help him ask which is the best way home, to no avail. He ought to have used a clever, phone-based dictionary to sound-out his query. Those who speak Chinese will also spot a funny pun when the other guy on the lavatory swears at his iPhone 4S.
And, yes, that’s not Siri’s real voice, and Siri doesn’t actually swear either.
[Direct YouTube link for those on mobiles, and the same video on Youku for Chinese readers. On a related note, see this Japanese guy struggle with Siri using heavily-accented English]