Apple is currently facing some backlash as they enter a lawsuit over an alleged patent infringement involving Siri. Portal Communications, the company ambitiously suing Apple, argues that the technology behind Siri infringes on different patents.
Their complaint refers to all iPhone, iPads, and Mac computers dating back to 2008 in addition to the iPod touch, and Apple HomePod among other products. They argue that the natural language voice query systems they use behind the Siri virtual assistant are not legal.
They are related to 3 patents allegedly invented by Dave Bernard, the CEO of technology solutions firm The Intellection Group. Siri uses voice recognition that is just a little too close to these patents which they do not have the rights to use.
Additionally, Apple purchased Siri technology back in 2010 and integrated it into their products back in 2011 with the iPhone 4S. That was almost three years after at least one of the patents were granted. This is going to be a very difficult court battle for Apple.
As it seems there is a striking amount of evidence that Siri has used some unapproved methods, we just have to wait and see how this lawsuit will turn out and how it will impact our Apple devices.