We’re probably all used to Siri being one of the iconic features of iOS devices by now, but let’s not forget that there was once a time that Apple did not own Siri and it was a standalone app. A feature on The Huffington Post looks at the story behind Siri, an app that carrier Verizon fancied, and actually looked to have preinstalled on all its Android smartphones.

Verizon actually went as far as signing a contract with the startup behind Siri to make all this happen, and was even shooting commercials to advertise this feature. Then came the Apple buyout with Steve Jobs personally meeting with Siri co-founder Dag Kittlaus to begin the purchase of the startup.

With the purchase of Siri Inc., Apple secured the rights to the app and the deal with Verizon had to be discontinued. They also prevented Siri from becoming one the features of its biggest rival’s handsets. Just think, Siri was almost an Android feature. Would Google Now exist in the way it does today? Or would it have been Siri instead? What would the iPhone 4S have as its headline feature? A better camera? Oh, the possibilities.

[via The Verge, The Huffington Post]