If Google Really Wanted To Screw With Apple, It Would Do This
by Julie Bort on Dec 8, 2011, 6:56 PM
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 Mary Jo Zandy, managing director of investment firm Berkery Noyes, has an interesting theory about how Google could really mess with Apple. What if Google bought Nuance? It's a known secret that Nuance powers Siri, the iPhone's voice interface. Siri -- which was a startup that Apple bought in 2010 -- provides the artificial intelligence that makes the service interesting. But as Zandy explains, "Nuance is translating voice into text, which is what Siri licenses from Nuance. Siri then interprets the resulting text/words/phrases and turns them into tasks such as 'call Bob Smith.'" Nuance isn't the only licensed technology that makes Siri so powerful. Apple uses other stuff, too. For instance, Zandy says that when you tell Siri "make a reservation at Trinity Place for 2 p.m," the Nuance technology will identify the words "make a reservation" as a task. But it's only because Apple has a license with OpenTable to search for reservations, that the task can be completed. It's also pretty well understood that Android alternatives to Siri leave a lot to be desired. So Google could accomplish two tasks by buying Nuance. It would get awesome voice command technology and it could make Apple suddenly have to pay it a license for the iPhone. There's a personal connection between Google and Nuance as well: as MG Siegler at TechCrunch reported in October, Nuance cofounder Mike Cohen now works on voice technology for Google. Please follow SAI on Twitter and Facebook.
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