Verizon wanted Siri as something exclusive before buying Android

We are in 2013 and a majority of users still believe that Siri is a feature developed by Apple hosted every new iOS device. However, Siri was once an independent company and was within walking distance to become a unique feature of Android smartphones with Verizon, until Apple finally acquired the company in 2010.

More than a piece of iOS, Siri was an app developed by a completely independent company based in Menlo Park, California, founded by the trustees of Stanford University. The software appeared as a native application for iOS to support integration with many online services like Google Maps, OpenTable, Movie Tickets and TaxiMagic, making the task of booking a taxi, check availability of tickets for concerts or just find directions often be easier than using a standard application.

In the fall of 2009, IRIS International was approached by Verizon to include the default application in all of the Android phones from 2010, giving the Google operating system a distinct advantage over Apple’s iOS. He even said that Verizon had already prepared aggressive commercials representing Siri application running on Android devices.

It ended in February 2010. The application independent Siri started their way to the iOS App Store as one of the founders of the company received a call from Steve Jobs enthusiastic. Apparently, he and a few Apple executives were interested in a voice recognition application for iOS and Siri would have found the approach we were looking for.

When making Apple reduced the acquisition agreement with Verizon, insisting that Siri remain exclusive to iOS. A year later, a much improved version of the software included in the iPhone 4S, followed by the iPod touch and the iPad shortly after. The standalone application was withdrawn from the App Store at the time and stopped working altogether on October 15, 2011