Apple Inc (AAPL) iOS 6.1: Buy Movie Tix on Siri?

Apple Inc (NASDAQ:AAPL), in the wake of the problems with the mapping app on the iPhone 5 that replaces the Google Maps app along with the departure of iOS architect Scott Forstall from the executive team, there is much anticipation about an update to the iOS 6 operating system for mobile devices like the iPhone, iPad 4 and iPad Mini. While an updated mapping application is expected, of course, that should clean up many of the bugs, there are other features that are being reported that would not just update, but upgrade some existing features – and Siri is one example, if reports about beta testing are true.

According to a prominent Apple-following site, Apple Inc (NASDAQ:AAPL) is looking to add a movie ticket-buying service to Siri, the iOS-based virtual voice-activated assistant. The service would connect with the movie ticket-buying web site Fandango, which is the largest such e-commerce site on the Internet, though it does not include every movie theater or every chain of theaters.

Apple has established voice request protocol that would begin the search on Siri, such such requests like “Two tickets to that new Pixar Move” or “Four tickets to Toy Story 3 at the Orpheum Theater at 7:15 p.m.” The protocol, however, will only be available on Apple Inc (NASDAQ:AAPL) iDevices in the U.S., though the service is in beta at this point may be improved before it goes live.

The difficulty Apple would have with Fandango is the overall usefulness of the new Siri service, until Apple can develop online ticketing-buying partnerships with some of the other theater chains and independent theaters that do not work with Fandango. But this could be a new avenue for Siri to be much more useful for Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) iDevice users, and could make Apple sales more attractive for investors like billionaire fund manager Julian Robertson of Tiger Management.