Amazon Acquires Siri-Challenger 'Evi' for $26 Million?

TechCrunch is reporting that Amazon has acquired Evi, a natural language search platform that is similar to Apple's Siri, for $26 million. The Evi app was originally posted on the App Store but Apple had threatened to remove because of similarities to Siri, but later said it would "work with" the company to reduce similarities. Evi remains available on the App Store.

TechCrunch understands from sources that the company has been sold to Amazon for $26 million. However, calls to Amazon PR, backers Octopus Ventures and the founders of Evi have ben met with a stoney silence. A spokesperson for Octopus told us: “On this occasion Octopus will decline to comment on this specific portfolio company”.

evi screenshots
True Knowledge, the company behind Evi, licensed the same Nuance voice recognition technology that Apple uses in Siri and offers an array of information that seems to compare favorably to Siri's abilities. Evi first launched in early 2012.

Amazon has a number of possible uses for Evi, including building the service into its Kindle Fire tablet, or a possible Amazon phone.


Evi is a free download for the iPhone. [Direct Link]

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Top Rated Comments

JDee Avatar
156 months ago
Most people I know including myself just use Siri for the first day or so.
Score: 26 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Klae17 Avatar
156 months ago
Hopefully that means Apple will step up their game with Siri. It is cumbersome and frustrating. Especially when you "call home" and it thinks for two minutes.
Score: 20 Votes (Like | Disagree)
bushido Avatar
156 months ago
lol i forgot i had siri on my iphone and im not kidding
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
nepalisherpa Avatar
156 months ago
Remember all, Siri is still in "beta"! :rolleyes:
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
yadmonkey Avatar
156 months ago
I like Google voice searching on my iPhone. She's faster, more accurate, and doesn't sound like she's been smoking cigarettes for 20 years.

I'd love for Apple to get serious about Siri or allow us to choose a voice search for our phone like we can choose a default browser/mail client on our Macs. Ditto for maps.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TouchMint.com Avatar
156 months ago
Most people I know including myself just use Siri for the first day or so.

I tried it out a few times turned it off after the first day tho.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)