Apple Thoughts: Siri Purchased by Apple

"How do you turn $24 million into $200 million? Become a strategic purchase for either Apple or Google, apparently. Word is Apple has paid between $150 to $250 million for the two and a half year old app start up, according to TechCrunch. The San Jose-based company is listed as having only 19 employees with four venture funders."

Siri is an interesting app, but it never worked for me because the tone of my voice is such that it never registers with these types of programs properly. Calling 411 and trying to work through the voice recognition is the same thing. I want a number in Portland and I get referred to Pendleton. Frustrating. But this does open up a lot of speculation as to why Apple decided to buy them. What does this mean for future versions of the iPhone OS or does it mean anything at all? Is this one of the steps they are taking to rid themselves of Google? Only Apple knows at this point but it sure generates a lot of buzz, just like the purchase announcement yesterday of Intrinsity. Intrinsity is a bit easier to understand, for me anyway, since they are rumored to be part of the design team of the new A4 chip. The only thing I know for sure is the venture capitalists hit the jackpot on Siri.