HP and Google To Offer An 'Enterprise Siri'

HP and Google have struck a new partnership for the creation of a brand new digital assistant – not dissimilar to Siri – that will support the enterprise workplace as opposed to the everyday iPhone user.

The new software would however directly challenge Apple's recent decision to join forces with IBM, a union that has prompted many tech firms to defensively enhance their business credentials.

Google's Android team has allegedly been negotiating with HP to create a mobile search service nicknamed "Enterprise Siri."

If rumours are true, the business voice assistant will allow employees to vocally ask their devices for company information, including financial data and product inventory in a similar manner to which consumers can ask Siri for weather and traffic updates or restaurant locations.

It would mark a big step forward for Google into the enterprise space - and could even be key in its attempts to shake the iPhone's popularity among business owners.

US press reoprts suggest that HP did actually approach Apple to partner on a business-oriented version of Siri, but the Cupertino-based company's announcement of its new partnership with IBM brought the negotiations to a rapid end, say insiders.

Some stories also claims that HP had previously pitched the idea of a Nexus phone aimed solely at the enterprise, complete with advanced encryption features, to Google - but it hadn't won over the then-Android boss Andy Rubin, who reportedly passed on the plan.