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How Apple let Siri fall behind the Google Assistant and Alexa

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Re: How Apple let Siri fall behind the Google Assistant and Alexa

#141

Post by IBM »

breatheoften wrote: post #134

I will believe that someone is trying to improve Siri when the implementation is updated so that the time between when I push the button and when I can start speaking is reduced to the minimum possible with a only a short reliably deterministic delay length. The inability of Siri to provide me a way to know when I can start talking absolutely (waiting for that horrible beep is just insanely terrible) completely break…

You don't have to wait for Siri to respond and you haven't had to for a while. Just say "Hey Siri" followed by the command with no pauses and it will handle it just fine.

Re: How Apple let Siri fall behind the Google Assistant and Alexa

#142

Post by mung »

IBM wrote: post #141
breatheoften wrote: post #134

I will believe that someone is trying to improve Siri when the implementation is updated so that the time between when I push the button and when I can start speaking is reduced to the minimum possible with a only a short reliably deterministic delay length. The inability of Siri to provide me a way to know when I can start talking absolutely (waiting for that horrible beep is just insanely terrible) completely break…

You don't have to wait for Siri to respond and you haven't had to for a while. Just say "Hey Siri" followed by the command with no pauses and it will handle it just fine.

This I think was poorly communicated. I found it out by accident, prior to that it seemed like Siri had taken a nosedive. "Hey Siri...." waiting.... followed by the cancel tone or sometimes "Yes?" - then the cancelled tone.

Re: How Apple let Siri fall behind the Google Assistant and Alexa

#143

Post by jannyfer »

scarface74 wrote: post #132
dmd wrote: post #116

Earlier quoted context omitted.

But what none of them can do is what people actually need, which is "remind me to do X before I leave work".

What signal could it pick up on before you leave work besides when you get in your car or after you leave somewhere?

Sudden increase of movement (via the accelerometer) around the time they usually leave work, for example.

If I usually leave work around 5-6 and I start packing up my bag, that could be a signal.

Re: How Apple let Siri fall behind the Google Assistant and Alexa

#144

Post by tbyehl »

Twisell wrote: post #28

Something always make me scratch my head. Is there any proof that actual people use and value Google and Amazon assistant more than Siri? Or is the leadership only designed by autoproclaimed experts and funky ad-hoc metrics? I totally confess that I use Siri for only 3 things: -Desactivating all wake up alarm during my morning poo -Setting timers while baking -Sending a « I’m coming » text to my loved one before ridi…

Siri is something that's occasionally useful, if you think to use it.

Alexa and now Google Home can integrate themselves into your whole life. Alexa is the primary interface for the home automation at my home and my girlfriend's. Her 9 y/o kids can use it. Our 67 y/o mothers can use it. We've got a baker's dozen of Alexa-enabled speakers between us, covering all of our living spaces and half the bathrooms.

They get used constantly.

Many of our use cases are "trivial" but having a voice assistant everywhere instead of tied to phones / tablets greatly changes their utility.

Re: How Apple let Siri fall behind the Google Assistant and Alexa

#145

Post by torstenvl »

jannyfer wrote: post #143
scarface74 wrote: post #132

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What signal could it pick up on before you leave work besides when you get in your car or after you leave somewhere?

Sudden increase of movement (via the accelerometer) around the time they usually leave work, for example. If I usually leave work around 5-6 and I start packing up my bag, that could be a signal.

Would you use a Markov model for this?

Re: How Apple let Siri fall behind the Google Assistant and Alexa

#146

Post by js2 »

jd20 wrote: post #117
ebikelaw wrote: post #74

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So far unmentioned in this discussion is the only reason I use Android voice assistant: Android Auto. When I'm driving my car I obviously can't type on my phone, so I use my voice for everything: changing the navigation destination, calling for music to be played, dialing the phone and sending text messages, amusing children by asking it stupid questions, etc. I carry an iPhone on my person but I use Android in my ca…

There's an Ike's Sandwiches like literally 30 feet from my office in San Jose, and I always like to ask Siri when it closes. To this day, I've probably tried on a dozen occasions and it has never once gotten it right. I'm a native English speaker with no accent. I tried again just now, this is what I got: Me: "What time does Ike's sandwich close?" Siri heard: "What time does Eichs sandwich close" Siri responded: "Hmm…

Siri has made me feel like an idiot so many times I don't even try any more. Fool me once...

(I use it for reminders. That seems to work. Looking up anything is useless.)

Re: How Apple let Siri fall behind the Google Assistant and Alexa

#147

Post by ddingus »

Twisell wrote: post #28

Something always make me scratch my head. Is there any proof that actual people use and value Google and Amazon assistant more than Siri? Or is the leadership only designed by autoproclaimed experts and funky ad-hoc metrics? I totally confess that I use Siri for only 3 things: -Desactivating all wake up alarm during my morning poo -Setting timers while baking -Sending a « I’m coming » text to my loved one before ridi…

Most ordinary people I know favor Siri despite it's differences.

The "character", theatre, framing, if you will, with Siri is superior.

Few people in my circles use the Amazon device at present.

Somehow, people like Siri. Siri is an agent in their minds and that is how they treat Siri.

The "OK Google" is one too, but not as well personified.

If I were to hazard a gut guess, based on an anecdotal sample, personification, as well as relevance to pop culture are big draws and can make up for technical gaps.

Personally, it's no contest. I use Google voice constantly. Works well enough for me to continue to invest in the experience.

Re: How Apple let Siri fall behind the Google Assistant and Alexa

#148

Post by ddingus »

scarface74 wrote: post #132
dmd wrote: post #116

Earlier quoted context omitted.

But what none of them can do is what people actually need, which is "remind me to do X before I leave work".

What signal could it pick up on before you leave work besides when you get in your car or after you leave somewhere?

It could guess and or extrapolate, based on recent data.

For a lot of people it would be effective.

Re: How Apple let Siri fall behind the Google Assistant and Alexa

#149

Post by [deleted] »

phxrsg wrote: post #35
Consultant32452 wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The things you listed are my primary uses of Google Assistant, but here's some others. What time is it in [location]? What's the temperature outside? Change the temperature inside (nest). Turn off all the lights. Really the only thing you can't do with Siri that I'm aware of is home automation. But I could be wrong about that.

Siri can do home automation with HomeKit and it actually works really well. The disadvantage here is that HomeKit has less supported accessories because, as I understand it, it's less open/requires certification of the accessory. That said, for engineers in the crowd I know that I and others get around it by making a HomeKit RPi adapter for things that don't support it...

[deleted]

Re: How Apple let Siri fall behind the Google Assistant and Alexa

#150

Post by datguacdoh »

1337biz wrote: post #65
hellofunk wrote: post #55

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is strictly anecdotal but a friend of mine is an exec at Facebook and we were recently discussing phones. He had an iPhone for a few years and has now had an Android for a couple years. He said that by far the most drastic difference between the two platforms is Siri vs. Assistant (or whatever Google's assistant is called in the phone). He said it is no contest how much more useful and functional Assistant is, c…

Obligatory question is why? What usefullness or functionality made that much of a difference to him?

Walt Mossberg has a funny "series" on his Twitter where he screencaps all the blatent failures he has with Siri. Many times, he or a follower will attach a screenshot of Assistant completing the action. It's not scientific by any means, but it's fun to go through and provides some concrete examples. His biggest issue seems to be that Siri is unreliable - there are queries that work, but only sometimes, and that makes the experience of using the product terrible.
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