TMCnet has written here about how frustrating it can be when a speech recognition service fails for a lack of vocabulary, functionality or clarity.

 

A report today out of one of London’s vaunted newspapers, The Telegraph, adds this to the list of reasons why a new U.S.-developed Google (News - Alert) application for the iPhone isn’t working: British accents.

 

According to Telegraph reporter Aislinn Simpson (attention fellow Yanks: that’s pronounced “Ash-Ling”), when asked to search for “iPhone (News - Alert),” results varied wildly – even lasciviously.

 

“A user with a Scottish accent found his phone opted to search for the term ‘sex’ instead, and suggested a link to an adult Web site.” Simpson writes. “On a second attempt, the search engine looked for ‘sledding.’ ”

 

As TMC President Rich Tehrani (News - Alert) writes – as part of a blog entry about forecasts for mobile advertising to grow to $16.5 billion in 2011 – speech recognition services already are allowing companies to provide ad-supported services such as directory assistance.

 

“As time goes on, expect more speech-recognition-based, ad-supported services to be rolled out,” Tehrani wrtes. “Mobile search is a natural area of growth and the reason behind Microsoft’s acquisition of Tellme.”

 

Yet, from what Simpson says, users of Google’s new application for the iPhone, pictured right, who want to buy a partner one of the devices may end up getting steered toward a sex shop.

 

Asked in the distinctive Kentish accent to search for iPhone, the application returned “my sister” and “Einstein, Simpson reports, while a Surrey user was offered “myspace” as well as “Einstein.”

 

A Yorkshireman reportedly got back “bonfire” before managing to get “iPhone” – the only time the voice-recognition worked.

 

The most unusual responses were to a Welsh accent, when the device interpreted “iPhone” as “gorillas” and “kitchen sink.”

 

Google may have anticipated the problem. Its Web site points out that the app is for “US English.”

 

In a company blog entry, Gummi Hafsteinsson, self-described “Product Manager and disqualified arm wrestler” from the Google Mobile team, says he used the tool when his daughter got a paper cut while in the unfamiliar city of San Francisco recently.

 

“Having no familiarity with the neighborhood I was in, I just searched for ‘pharmacies’ and I was quickly on my way to the nearest place to buy a bandage,” Hafsteinsson writes. “The day was saved.”

 

But that still doesn’t help the Brits.

 

Simpson writes that one Englishman, Roger Ellinson of Maidstone, was left disappointed by the glitch.

 

“I’ve got a traditional Kentish accent and the thing kept on spitting back ridiculous things,” Ellinson reportedly said. “I asked it to find my nearest pizza take away and it came back with something about volcanoes. Then I asked it to find my nearest pub and it gave me a link to some kind of weird dating Web site. I’ll have to try to put on my best American accent to get it to work.”

 

Good luck with that, Roger.