{"id":6279,"date":"2015-12-09T17:31:59","date_gmt":"2015-12-09T17:31:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/english.thesunrisetoday.com\/?p=6279"},"modified":"2015-12-09T17:31:59","modified_gmt":"2015-12-09T17:31:59","slug":"apple-releases-first-arabic-version-of-siri","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/english.thesunrisetoday.com\/index.php\/apple-releases-first-arabic-version-of-siri\/","title":{"rendered":"Apple releases first Arabic version of Siri"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Siri\"<\/a>Apple Inc on Tuesday released a version of its virtual personal assistant Siri for Arabic speakers in the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, potentially making its iPhones more attractive in a largely affluent market of more than 30 million people.
\nThe move, part of Apple\u2019s latest software updates, means people in those countries will be able to use Siri in their native tongue on iPhones, iPads and the Apple Watch. It follows Google, whose Android phones\u2019 voice search function already offer some support in Arabic.
\n\u201cThis is part of the consumerization and personalization of IT-based services that we\u2019re seeing at all levels of the industry,\u201d said Paul Black, director of telecoms and media at IDC Middle East, Turkey and Africa.
\nApple and its primary smartphone competitor, Google, have saturated the United States and Western Europe with their devices, leaving markets such as the Middle East, China and India as some of the prime places to grow.
\nApple already boasts strong brand awareness in the Middle East, particularly among high-end consumers, analysts said. The opening of two retail stores in the UAE in October whipped fans into a frenzy, local media reported.
\nThe availability of Siri in Arabic may make some consumers more receptive to Apple software, said Ken Singer, managing director of the Center for Entrepreneurship and Technology at UC Berkeley.
\n\u201cThese devices are incredibly personal,\u201d said Singer, who has counseled entrepreneurs in the Middle East. \u201c(Consumers) are going to want to feel like the device is designed for them.\u201d
\nArabic speakers outside Saudi Arabia and the UAE will be able to use Siri, though it will not be tailored to their dialect.
\nArabic has been a challenging language for tech companies, with strong regional variations. \u201cSiri has her work cut out for her,\u201d said Singer.<\/p>\n

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