By 
With the large success of the iPhone 4S and it’s single “killer feature,” Siri, it’s no wonder big companies are taking notice. Take Pioneer, who just today announced a new cross platform, voice-controlled application that will be launching soon on Android and iOS. Since Zypr is a web-based API, it doesn’t just stop at mobile devices. Pioneer plans to include Zypr in various consumer electronics and even infotainment units like the ones found inside automobiles.
Zypr will work much the same way as Siri, utilizing conversational voice-control commands to find information on the web. Zypr will also be a free with no cost to the consumer thanks in part to its ad-supported service. As for developers, the API will will be available at no charge and will, in fact, share some of the ad-generated profits with developers.
What do you guys think? Does Zypr sound appealing to you? The Siri clones are just getting started and I don’t think we’ve seen the last of ’em. Check out the full press release below.
Pioneer Announces Availability of Zypr: A Multi-Platform,Voice-Powered Cloud-Based API to Enable Web Services Mashups
Zypr Provides Unified Data Across iOS, Android, HTML 5, Home and Automotive Devices; Zypr API Offers Revenue Share Opportunity for Developers
November 7, 2011 – Burlingame, CA, AnDevCon II – Pioneer Corporation (Kawasaki, Japan), one of the world’s leading brands and innovators of home and automotive electronics, today announced the availability of Zypr™: a new voice-powered, unified Web API (Application Programming Interface) available at no charge to developers. Zypr bridges the disparate worlds of mobile devices, Web apps, consumer electronics and automotive infotainment by bringing normalized Web services mashups to all of these platforms, with the added functionality of unique, conversational voice-control commands.
The Zypr API provides a consistent way for developers to access voice UI, maps and routing, local search, social networking, music and radio, contacts, calendars and weather from multiple content providers. Zypr is a set of RESTful cloud APIs organized by content service category – device makers and app developers can access the API directly via HTTPS calls and potentially implement client applications using common languages and operating system platforms.
Web services currently supported by Zypr that can be mashed up and applied in new ways using voice control include Facebook®, Twitter®, Google®, Yelp®, AccuWeather®, INRIX® real-time and predictive traffic information, Slacker® Radio, Tuner2™ Radio, Wcities™, xAd™ and VoiceBox® with other services coming soon. As a Web-based API, Zypr works on all platforms supporting HTTPS access, including HTML5, iOS®, Android™ and Java®.
By creating a normalized, stable and voice-enhanced method for accessing a wide array of constantly changing Internet services, Zypr reduces the impact of service-specific API changes. Zypr-powered applications also allow data to “follow” a user across multiple devices found in daily life due to Zypr’s centralized, cloud-based architecture. As a free, ad-supported service, Zypr offers developers the opportunity for a share of revenue earned based on users accessing Zypr through their products.
To assist developers in creating Zypr-enhanced applications, Pioneer is open-sourcing a reference Java application powered by Zypr. This reference source code and the Zypr API itself are immediately available as a no-charge license for developers. Developer keys, reference code, documentation and all developer tools are available at www.zypr.net or by emailing [email protected]. Once a client application is ready, it may be submitted to Pioneer for review – upon approval, a key will be issued to enable the app to access Zypr services.
“Pioneer created Zypr so that any type of developer or device maker on any platform can easily offer compelling new services to enhance their own technology and brand equity,” said Susumu Kotani, the president of Pioneer Corporation. “We have also changed the rules by allowing developers and device makers alike the opportunity to share in revenue when they deploy Zypr.”
“Zypr has the most ambitious connected vehicle vision, ‘mashing up’ multiple social networking resources for a seamlessly integrated connected experience,” said Roger C. Lanctot, senior analyst at Strategy Analytics. “The product represents the kind of solution consumers don’t even realize they want until they see it – consumers are definitely seeking services that bridge mobile & non-mobile experiences the way Zypr does.”
“Programming with Zypr is intuitive, easy and incredibly powerful – I was able to integrate Zypr into our application in less than an afternoon,” said Bob Anderson, the chief technology officer of near2there, Inc. and a winner of the October 27 AppDev Hackathon. “Zypr is the ‘lubrication’ that makes all other APIs work smoothly together – I am impressed and looking forward to incorporating Zypr into our product offerings.”
Pioneer Corporation, headquartered in Kawasaki, Japan, is a leading global manufacturer of consumer and business-use electronics products such as audio, video and car electronics. Its shares are traded on the Tokyo Stock Exchange (TSE: 6773). For more information please visit http://pioneer.jp. Details on Zypr may be found at www.zypr.net as well as by following @Zyprnet on Twitter.
“Please state update!”
???
Siri is just a app that fapple bought and baked into their os, companies will have no problems matching the tech. If google wants it in android, their programmers would have it done in 3-6months max I’d bet.
Just pisses me off, android has had awesome voice tech for over two years and now a bunch of iPone commercials and the word thinks Siri is the world leader. Apple invented nothing! and least of all Siri, they bought a company and now take world credit for it. lame….
Apple does get props from me, Fapple, in one area, marketing.. damn, these guys sell it to their iSheep without question but also most of the rest of the world too. Google puts out a lame ‘voice actions’ youtube video and every two seconds i see a siri commercial and how it’s the “most amazing iPone” yet. F apple owns in marketing!!! :( and it’s time to real companies to start owning back!!!!
I couldn’t of said it any better myself. I was out last Saturday trying to convince a couple of friends that they got ripped off by buying the 4S just because of Siri. They were of course chicks who don’t understand phone technology at all and thought that Siri was the be all end all of phones. One of them really disappointed me too because she was a OG droid user and needed a new phone just like me and knew that Google has had basically the same thing for 2 years. I tried it out by asking it what the score was in the Alabama LSU game and it didn’t give me anything but a link to Alabama’s website..LAME! Google better not just release the Nexus and not market it as a game changer cause they could really miss the mark if they do..
There are some things that voice control has always raised questions with me..
Security, anyone that could be within talking distance to my phone could post on my blogs or sites. :( That is a scary idea…
Voice recognition rarely works well in noisy environments. Sorry the world is noisy… I find it a bigger pain in the but to correct everything it gets wrong rather then just typing it myself. Shortcut keys and widgets and icons make it easy enough to post already.
More power to Zypr in creating the product but I don’t’ think I would personally be interested in any of the clones or the real Siri.
Now… if they created a nice eeg based interface for my phone like the EPOC neuroheadset. I would be all over that… :)