Apple, Siri, and the growing potential of mobile voice recognition to change the travel search landscape

October 7th, 2011

With the passing of Steve Jobs, the impact of Apple on our lives is well-documented, and in the travel space, its products have indirectly impacted how we plan and experience travel. Its spate of recent “iTravel” patent-filing may do so even more directly in the future.

What’s taken a temporary back seat in Apple news right now with Jobs’ death, albeit for good reason, is the new iPhone 4S and its clear focus on Siri’s voice platform.

For travel, we’re on the verge of another serious potential player in mobile and voice-based travel search along with Google’s emphasis on Android voice search and Microsoft’s integration of voice in Windows Phone, Xbox and Kinect.

How could this impact travel? About a year ago, we identified a convergence of forces that could enable Android voice search integration with ITA Software’s QPX airfare technology, and now Google’s flight tool sends consumers directly to airline sites while bypassing OTAs. Voice search doing the same may not be far off.

Though accuracy needs to progress, natural language air or hotel voice search could take only 5-7 seconds to speak and a few more to return results. Along with the placement of voice search on mobile device homescreens, those are two critical advantages for voice platforms over current travel sites and applications.

Now Apple and Siri have two of the three major steps to deliver travel-focused voice search – what they need are airfare and hotel query partners to bypass intermediaries as well. Is it going to happen? Unclear for now, but Apple is already integrating with Yelp and other content partners on voice command.

What is clear is that among the major mobile platforms, we’re continuing to move along the path of voice integration that could alter travel search as we know it, while existing intermediaries likely cannot replicate it and must invest just to market their mobile apps in the first place.

Entry Filed under: Mobile, Uncategorized