So here’s what happened. I’m in the car on my way to the office. A responsible person that I am, I ask Siri to initiate a call.
Hey Siri, call my wife. — Silence.
So I tried once more, this time just a little louder. Yet again, my digital assistant kept still. I initiated the call using the dashboard screen instead and put the issue aside.
On my way home, I asked Siri to play an album.
Hey Siri, play No Ordinary Moments. — Silence.
This got annoying quickly. I reached for my phone to activate Siri manually.
Oh, there you are! But wait, who are you?
To my surprise, I was prompted by a British male voice. Where was the familiar German female Siri? Dare I say a true WTF moment?
Not only did Siri not react to my voice, because as I later found out “Hey Siri” had been dsiabled, but it had gone through a gender change without any user interaction on my part.
What becomes of a smartphone’s value when its proclaimed functions and services cannot be relied upon? Not only can it be frustrating, but outright dangerous, depending on the environment and one’s ability to manage expectations.