How Siri Knows When You're There [Video]

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Posted November 9, 2011 at 8:41pm by Shalom Levytam

iFixit reveals that the iPhone 4S has a infrared LED next to the ambient light sensor which is used to keep Siri in a state of constant readiness.

With previous iPhones, the IR proximity sensor would only be activated when in a call, dimming the display and killing the keyboard when you placed the phone to your ear. With the iPhone 4S, the IR sensor is active any time your screen is active.

Siri is ready and waiting to answer her master's beck and call at any time. And in order to be as attentive as a personal assistant ought to be, Apple had to design the proximity sensor to be as vigilant as Big Brother, but as cute as Little Sister. So whenever the screen is active, the proximity sensor is active too. Thus, whenever you raise the iPhone 4S to your face, Siri is ready to take orders.

Take a look at the video below for more details...

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john - November 9, 2011 at 9:28pm

can i have a free ifix it tshirt pls?

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ThatGuy - November 9, 2011 at 9:17pm

So let's get this straight: the difference is that the 4S firmware is set to activate the infrared sensor any time the screen is active. Going back at least to the 3gs has had an infrared sensor (probably earlier but I can't confirm what I don't know...). They're saying this is unique b/c on the iphone 4 the sensor is only active when the phone is up to your ear in a call. So... there is no hardware difference. This is as simple as a firmware setting that Apple could just as easily enable were they to enable Siri on older phones. There are youtube videos that show the 3gs doing Siri (and the ipod touch 4g). Enabling Siri on the 4S alone is simply a marketing gimmick. This should not be news...

dt - November 9, 2011 at 9:20pm

The key is that it is modified. http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/11/11/09/siri_raise_to_speak_feature_uses_modified_iphone_4s_proximity_sensor.html

ThatGuy - November 9, 2011 at 9:59pm

Not to be difficult but if you look at the tear-down all they say is it that it exists in the article that post references: "What appears to be the ambient light sensor and infra-red LED for the proximity sensor comes off the display assembly." (Step 14 from: http://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/iPhone-4S-Teardown/6610/2). See what I mean? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a7M4hoAtgS8 The 4's sensor is more than adequate if it can tell if you pull it away from your face to know when you put it up to your face. It's just another excuse for them to say Siri won't work on older devices after people proved it did. It's a software setting...

dt - November 9, 2011 at 10:08pm

Who knows dude. One thing for sure, Apple isn't gonna release it or make it easy. I think and it is even illegal to use Siri on a non-4S because of reverse engineering the code and this is a BIG, SUPER-SIZE no no.

ThatGuy - November 9, 2011 at 10:18pm

Yep pretty much is all I was trying to communicate. I'd imagine the Siri servers look for something akin to a MAC address on the device connecting and will never work unless Apple opens it up down the road (doubtfully- I'm not holding my breath). Those that had it working said they obtained a "token" from a 4S. I know about token-ring networks but don't really care enough to see what all that entails- just to say it's unlikely. In the meantime check this out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pcpr5Z_1UAc That'll be cool once they jailbreak the 4S. Combine that with Voice Activator jailbreak app as well and you can speak and launch apps and open URLs. I only wish you didn't have to say Siri... makes me feel like a poser lol

dt - November 9, 2011 at 11:09pm

I think the token they are speaking of has to do with a security token. Sort of like an RSA token where Apple digitally signs the token and the phone acts as the decryption for that to key so that Siri can determine that it is authorized to use the server.

ThatGuy - November 10, 2011 at 12:32am

Yeah that makes sense

KnightGeek - November 11, 2011 at 9:11pm

You don't have to say Siri. And from my understanding, there is a difference between the 4 and 4S. The 4S has a second IR sensor that is always on. In combination with the accelerometer it then knows when you place the phone to your ea. the 4 could probably run Siri ok, but a 3GS can barely handle most of my network traffic so I doubt it could handle Siri

namedb - November 9, 2011 at 8:48pm

dibs on her

idiots here - November 9, 2011 at 9:23pm

really? how very mature of you both. are you in jr. high now?

datumax - November 9, 2011 at 9:46pm

jealousy.

ashamed - November 9, 2011 at 10:44pm

sorry mom

HarryKojak - November 10, 2011 at 12:45am

Is there really mean pole being smoked in jr high now?