Topic by Cornettoking 2021-04-12 15:34:31 (edited by Cornettoking 2021-04-12 18:01:56)

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As reported by
Geekwire
and many other sources, Microsoft is in talks to buy Nuance Communications.

Normally this would not really interest me, but as Nuance seems to be the company behind the Vocalizer voices, this might become interesting if this deal happens.

I think mainly that the Vocalizer voices might be implemented into Microsoft products in some way.
What are your thoughts?

Edit: According to this article which got an update and an article that was posted in a reply to this topic, Microsoft has confirmed the acquisition.

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Reply by Lucas1 2021-04-12 15:48:09

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Vocalizer voices in Windows would be sick. Other than that, I don't see this mattering much.

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Reply by mohamed 2021-04-12 15:48:40

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I don't think that they'll accept, They had too many deals with companies like apple, So If microsoft bot it, Who knows what they'll do with it.

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Reply by MatthewSmithYT 2021-04-12 15:53:07

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That'd be interesting.
Vocalizer voices on windows would be really cool, and I think that should definitely be a thing.

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Reply by jack 2021-04-12 16:28:58

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just happened today
So no, the deal's on alright.

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Reply by Sage_Lancaster 2021-04-12 16:34:18

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it looks like it will be implemented in microsoft's healthcare products, I wouldn't get your hopes up for vocalizer coming to windows

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Reply by jack 2021-04-12 16:51:41

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Wel you never know. Technically Microsoft didn't just buy a specific sector, they bought the whole damn company, which means they technically have their entire portfolio at their disposal. IT would probably cost Microsoft nothing to implement existing solutions, and they are probably well aware that they can't round out their oneCore portfolio internationally without help from the company who has pretty much had every major language in the book for over a decade. Microsoft adding Vocalizer speech to windows won't be the move that makes the rounds in the news outside of specific circles, but that doesn't mean they aren't gonna do it.

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Reply by jack 2021-04-12 16:53:36

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You also need to remember that Microsoft has Android hardware now, so even if Vocalizer doesn't make the rounds on Windows, it's extremely plausible that it'll hit their Android distributions as a Samsung TTS-like exclusive.

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Reply by JamesPotter 2021-04-12 17:44:35

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I hope they make free eloquence.

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Reply by Cornettoking 2021-04-12 17:45:45 (edited by Cornettoking 2021-04-12 17:49:40)

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@5: Yeah, sorry. I only read it today and it said that there hadn't been a statement from any of the

@9: I think Eloquence is developed by a different company.companies. I should have re-checked before posting.

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Reply by Nikola 2021-04-12 17:49:09

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Makes me really curious indeed what happens to iOS TTS, especially if they have some ideas like what Jack said about Vocalizer being exclusive in some form. That's sad, I was really hoping that in iOS 15 they finally ubgrade their offer of Vocalizer voices to add a Croatian voice so I can read my language properly, looks like that's still not happening, 5 years to do this apparently isn't enough. I'm not jumping to definite conclusions though.
Let's see what happens and hope for the best.

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Reply by rings2006 2021-04-12 17:54:53

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so let me get this strate. microsoft are bying the people who make vocalizer, and might put it in windows, and are putting it in medical stuff, and now ios cant use it most likely?

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Reply by Ethin 2021-04-12 17:57:43

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@12, don't think anyone ever said that iOS couldn't use it...

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Reply by Nikola 2021-04-12 18:00:11

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No, nothing's official yet, I highly doubt anything changes in iOS 15 in regards to no Vocalizer, it's far too early. However, Microsoft could make it a Windows exclusive, key word here being could. That being said, lots of people are paying for licences to use Vocalizer, not just Apple, there are dozens of smaller companies so I am not expecting this, but it is a possibility.

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Reply by techmaster20 2021-04-12 18:01:04

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I wouldn't be surprised if microsoft makes apple pay licensing fees... Same for people who want to use them like Code Factory.

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Reply by Nikola 2021-04-12 18:06:04

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They are already doing that. Whether there would be any changes in that regard, who knows.
Believe it or not, licences still have to be payed for Eloquence, even though Nuance doesn't really care about it.

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Reply by jack 2021-04-12 18:20:41

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the exclusive was more along the Android sense, i.e. you get these voices on only this specific distribution of Android that would come on the surface Duo, for example. The same way Samsung tts was. This exclusivity wasn't a problem though in the Samsung TTS days, as it was just SVox and you could acquire it through regular means. It's a purchase incentive, but it didn't mean the voices were straight up unavailable elsewhere.

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Reply by Dan Gero 2021-04-12 18:36:59

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Well that's a plot twist I never saw coming. I was convinced Apple was gonna buy them out and make them exclusive to Apple products. Heheheh, how the tables have turned.

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Reply by rings2006 2021-04-12 18:40:46

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exactly what i was thinking, i never expected microsoft to do this, but also apple wasnt a suspect

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Reply by Cornettoking 2021-04-12 18:47:26 (edited by Cornettoking 2021-04-12 18:50:15)

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@15: I guess Apple is already paying licensing fees to Nuance. I wish they would include all the available vocalizer voices there are. At least when it comes to german voices, I think a few of the expressive ones aren't in IOS.
And to everyone saying it's not official, I have updated the first post as the original article has been updated
@16: Wait, Eloquence? Doesn't Code Factory develop that?
@Dan_Gero: As some people here have said, Vocalizer is used by many smaller companies, so any comapny making the voices exclusive to them would probabbly make many people very angry.saying that they got a confirmation from Microsoft. @Jack also posted an article saying this, thanks @Jack for pointing that out.

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Reply by mazen 2021-04-12 18:54:03

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So is code factory and nuance the same thing? Or does code factory own nuance? Because code factory has that nvda addon that contains both eloquence and vocalizer.

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Reply by Kitsune 2021-04-12 19:07:35

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I think Nuance owns coad factory.

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Reply by ondrosik 2021-04-12 19:15:25

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I hope Microsoft will fix many issues in the slovak voices reported manytimes and ignored by Nuance. Or maybe definitely not, who knows.

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Reply by Jeffb 2021-04-12 19:33:27

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@20 Code Factory doesn't own Eloquence. They didn't update Eloquence to 64 bit because they said it would be too expensive for them. That wouldn't have been an issue if they owned Eloquence. I hope this doesn't mess up Code Factory's Vocalizer on Android.

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Reply by Cornettoking 2021-04-12 19:58:27

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@24: But if Vocalizer is developed and "owned" by Nuance, how does Code Factory offer a vocalizer app for Android then? Have they licensed it from them?
And who does "own" and develop Eloquence then if not Code Factory? As far as I've heard, they purchased the license for Eloquence, but do they also develop it?

Greetings and happy gaming, Julian

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