Why does Siri require location services to lookup a phone number?

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Level 1

55 points

Why does Siri require location services to lookup a phone number?

I carry two phones, an iPhone 7 Plus 256GB and an LG V20 - both are running the latest OS. I've always carried two Android phones until a couple weeks ago when I swapped a Samsung Galaxy S5 for this iPhone 7 Plus. After a couple of weeks of intensive usage, I've found, at every turn, that Siri just doesn't come close to Google when they're both asked the same question. The most annoying thing is just trying to find a phone number for a business. If one asks Google and Siri the following:

Kelly Brothers Boone North Carolina

Google, even with the GPS disabled, immediately gives me the ability to call, get directions, share, or go to their website. Siri, on the other hand, whines:

"I can help you find a place if you turn on Location Services. Go to Location Services Settings and turn it on. Then scroll to 'Siri & Dictation' and allow location access.

Just so we are clear, if I use the Google Search app on my iPhone and ask it the same question I asked my LG V20 I get the same, perfect answer that I got on my V20. How can any Apple user tolerate Siri being so intrusive?

Look at it this way. What if I was in Miami and needed to call Kelly Brothers in Boone North Carolina to order something? Why does Siri need to know I'm in Miami when I'm calling Kelly Brothers? The answer is it doesn't need to know, other than Apple wants to be able to track everyone's location 24/7/365.

In the end, this is TOTAL garbage. I don't need Apple tracking my every movement just so Siri can give me a phone number. When I called iPhone support I got the most arrogant woman who only wanted to argue with me. She told me Location Services wasn't required and yet when I asked her to try it on her iPhone she put me on hold and never came back, dumping me back into a queue (if that woman worked for my company she'd be fired for that).

iPhone 7 Plus, iOS 10.1.1

Posted on Dec 7, 2016 11:09 AM

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Answer 1

BSBTuba Author

Level 1

55 points

Dec 7, 2016 11:59 AM in response to Drew Reece

You totally missed my point. I do NOT have to have Location Services enabled for Google to find me a simple phone number - on either my iPhone or my V20. Seriously, try it. Download the Google app from the App Store, disable Location Services, and ask it the five words above. Google works instantly without Location Services enabled (and it finds the right answer - as I stated, even with Location Services enabled, Siri does NOT find the answer). Don't get me wrong, I have no problem with Location Services being on when I need them, I just should NOT have to have them on 24/7 to look up a simple phone number.

That said, your logic behind Google intruding over Apple is seriously flawed. What does face tagging have to do with GPS locations? Just go into Location settings, System Services and look at all the junk Apple enables by default. If they cared about privacy none of that junk, except maybe Find my iPhone, would be enabled. BTW, it's very simple to control what Google tracks, including every query, and has been for some time. Apple stores your Siri and other queries for TWO years and the only way to purge it is to turn off Siri, there's no selective or global do not track option, which Google has.

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Answer 2

BSBTuba Author

Level 1

55 points

Dec 7, 2016 11:35 AM in response to Drew Reece

I was hoping someone in the community would have discovered this. I did call support back and spoke with yet another clueless support rep who admitted he had absolutely no idea about why or how Siri works. It's amazing how bad the "great" Apple support is. I'd rather talk to Korean LG support reps than Apple's. At least those guys try to find people answers. I'm not exactly sure what Apple support's job is if they can't or won't find answers for things this simple. Have to say this is my first and likely my last Apple iPhone if the experience remains this poor and at this point it's time to disable Siri and just use Google on my iPhone. At least it works and doesn't intrude on my privacy - ironic as that may be.

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Answer 3

Drew Reece

Level 6

10,684 points

Dec 7, 2016 11:50 AM in response to BSBTuba

I don't think your assessment that Google is not intruding on privacy is entirely accurate. Apple uses differential privacy in an attempt to remove your ID from the data. A lot of processing is done on the device (which is why faces in photos need to be scanned on every device) - that is the choice Apple make.

Google on the other hand have not made those claims as far as I can see, just because your location isn't being used does not mean that they are not infringing your privacy in other ways (like storing every query you ever make).

You can try Apple support again if you want to see how they respond, a word of advice… drop some of the attitude & people may be more helpful.

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Answer 4

LACAllen

Level 8

43,590 points

Dec 7, 2016 12:37 PM in response to BSBTuba

You clearly do not like the way Siri is implemented, as is your right.

Picking fights with others is no way to resolve this.

None of us work for Apple. We can't and are not allowed to discuss the "why" portions of your post.

Those here who may have that knowledge are likely NDA'd from disclosing it.

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Answer 5

BSBTuba Author

Level 1

55 points

Dec 7, 2016 11:27 AM in response to BSBTuba

Oh yeah, and when you do enable Big Brother on the iPhone and give Siri permission to use the location, if you ask it the same four words it DOESN'T EVEN FIND THE BUSINESS!!! I can go to Yahoo, Bing, Google, or pretty much ANY other search engine on the planet and ask it for "Kelly Brothers Boone North Carolina" and it will find the business. What search engine does Siri use and can I change it to one that works?

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Answer 6

Drew Reece

Level 6

10,684 points

Dec 7, 2016 11:32 AM in response to BSBTuba

BSBTuba wrote:

In the end, this is TOTAL garbage.

Sounds about right.

This is a user forum so we can't explain why Siri works (or doesn't work) the way it does. Sadly Apple support already didn't help you so you probably don't want to contact them again and I suspect you may not want to visit an Apple store to ask why it works like that.

You can leave feedback for Apple if you hope they will change it…

http://apple.com/feedback/

In the meantime you are better off using what works for you, be that Google on iOS or even Android.

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Answer 7

Drew Reece

Level 6

10,684 points

Dec 7, 2016 12:24 PM in response to BSBTuba

No I totally get your point I simply didn't acknowledge it in an attempt to explain how Apple make Siri & search work with privacy. Apple have tried to explain some of their privacy choices in keynotes. Siri works the using the same concepts.

I'm just another user, take your issue to Apple they may care about that feature more than me.

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