Me: Ok Google, are you better than Siri?
Google Assistant: I Think Siri’s great. I’m Definitely more Googley
Me: Hey Siri, are you better than the Google Assistant
Siri: I’m pretty loyal to Apple. Adamya. It’s just how I’m made
Everyone knows Siri by now. The Apple voice assistant has managed to imbibe many smarts in its 5 year existence and is now available on all of Apple’s platforms. But, what Apple managed to do with the AI assistant in these 5 long years is something Google has achieved with the Google Assistant in its first iteration. Some might argue that the voice assistant from Mountain View had its big brother ‘Google Now’ to thank for most of its learning abilities, and while that might be true, it has heightened natural language processing abilities, is wittier, and manages to outdo Siri in many aspects. Here’s how both voice assistants compete with each other:
What can Google Assistant and Siri do for you?
Unlike Siri, which is now present on 4 generations of iPhones, the Google Assistant is only available on the Pixel and Pixel XL smartphones. A version of the Assistant is also available on the Google Allo messenger for Android and iOS, but it differs vastly in the tasks it can perform on both platforms. When it comes to the Pixel and Pixel XL, here’s everything the Google Assistant can do in comparison to Siri
| Google Assistant | Siri |
| Make calls | Make calls, Facetime |
| Set reminders, alarms & timers | Set reminders,timers, alarms |
| Navigate using Google Maps | Navigate using Apple Maps |
| Give news updates | Sports news updates |
| Play music | Play music |
| Provide weather alerts | Provide weather alerts |
| Play games | – |
| Answer search related queries | Answer search related queries |
| Ask riddles | – |
| Recite poetry | – |
| Send messages | Send messages |
| Keep, display travel, calendar appointments | Keep, display calendar appointments only |
| Give restaurant suggestions | Give restaurant suggestions |
| Open Apps | Open Apps |
| Translate | – |
| – | Find friends using Find My Friend |
| Takes Notes on various notes apps | Takes Notes on Apple Notes app |
| – | Post to “‘Facebook, Twitter |
| Give stock alerts | Give stock alerts |
| Make calculations (add, subtract, multiply, divide, average and more) | Make calculations (add, subtract, multiply, divide, average and more) |
| – | Recognise music through Shazam |
| Shows query suggestions | – |
| Search and display photos | Search and display photos |
As you can see from the table above, both the Google Assistant and Siri are able to perform a number of similar functions. Both can perform the array of daily, basic tasks very well. In fact, there are certain things Siri can do which the Assistant cannot. For instance, the Google Assistant does not have the ability to recognise music playing in the background. Although this feature is available in the US, sadly, India does not get this integration just yet. Siri can also post to Facebook and Twitter on your behalf while the Assistant just brings up search results when asked to do so. On the other hand, Siri cannot access your emails to bring up travel reservations and itineraries, while the Google Assistant can do the same. Another really cool feature of Assistant is that it knows what you are looking at on your display; so if you have a search result of a restaurant on Zomato opened on your screen, you can ask the Assistant to show you some reviews or navigate to its location.
Siri-Shazam music search
Where the Google Assistant noticeably overpower Siri is in its ability to have a smooth, flowing and natural conversation. The Google Assistant gets its witty charms and human-like conversational skills thanks to writers from Pixar Studios and The Onion. Yes, Google hired these writers in an attempt to make Assistant less robotic. The ultimate goal here is to build a more personal, friendly relationship between the Assistant and the user; something we expect to improve in subsequent iterations of the AI voice assistant. For now, the Google Assistant is entertaining users with its ability to tell jokes, recite poetry, play games, ask riddles, sing, and have witty, flowing conversations. Here are a few examples of similar questions asked and answered by the Google Assistant and Siri. This should show you what I mean when I say that Apple’s Siri lacks charm and flavour. Did you know the Google Assistant can beatbox better than Siri? Try it
Google Assistant Vs Siri: Who's the better poet?
Google Assistant Vs Siri: Who's the better jester?
Google Assistant Vs Siri: Weather alerts
Google Assistant Vs Siri: Reminders
Buy Google Pixel XL at Rs. 67000 on Flipkart
Buy Apple iphone 7 plus at Rs. 72000 on Flipkart