You're thinking about getting a new smartphone and you're someone who values the hands-free functions. Google Assistant and Siri are both top of the line device assistants from two different worlds: Android and Apple, so which do you choose? In this article, I'll show you all you need to know about Siri vs Google Assistant.
Device Assistants: The Hands-Free Solution
What are device assistants? These are apps like Google Assistant and Siri that help you complete tasks with voice commands, so you can use your phone without touching it. You can ask them to send texts, make calls, set reminders and timers, and even control the smart lights in your house.
There are different device assistants for different brands. Google Assistant and Siri are the most prevalent among mobile devices, due to their integration within their respective operating systems, Android and iOS.
Which of these two is the best? We'll take a look at each one so you can find the answer.
Points For Both
As time goes on, device assistants are incorporating more and more of the same features. Siri and Google Assistant can do many of the same tasks very well. This means that the differences between them are more subtle or fundamental, as opposed to performance based.
Siri and Google Assistant are great for hands-free productivity. Both are excellent services for checking your messages while you're walking to work, controlling your smart home devices, and for looking up general information.
In addition, they have pretty good voice recognition, as compared to several years ago. Voice recognition has been offloaded to powerful computers in the cloud so that your phone doesn't have to process the complex voice information, which makes this process simpler and faster.
Siri
Siri is the device assistant powered by iOS, Apple's operating system for iPhones. Of all the device assistants, Siri has been around for the longest, debuting in 2011. It is a fantastic service for those within Apple's device ecosystem.
Integration With Apple Ecosystem
Siri can do a lot of things that Google Assistant can't for one reason: integration with Apple's hardware and software ecosystem. Siri can use these services much more efficiently than Google Assistant because it is so interconnected.
Wake Word Compatibility
Siri is the only device assistant that can be summoned with a wake word on iPhones. While Google Assistant is available on iOS, to use a wake word, you'll have to go through Siri first or already have the Google Assistant app open. It's easier to use Siri, and she can probably accomplish the task you'd like.
Syllables In The Wake Word
It may not seem like much, but the wake word is something that you'll be using quite a bit and can make a big difference. The wake word hey, Siri has three syllables, while Google Assistant has three or four (hey, Google, or okay, Google).
In the early days of Google Assistant, you could only say the longer phrase, okay, Google. When they finally introduced the shorter wake word, it felt so refreshing to have fewer syllables, since I often have to say it multiple times to issue several commands.
In addition, syllabic stress is important as well. This can be a bit tricky, but it's all about stressed and unstressed syllables. Hey, Siri has fewer stressed syllables than Hey, Google, so it's easier to say. To put it more simply, it rolls off your tongue much easier. This makes it easier for your device to recognize that you want to issue a command.
Google Assistant
Google Assistant is a common default device assistant available on Android phones. However, it can be used on iPhones as well, but in a more limited capacity. Google Assistant was introduced in 2016, but some of its functionality comes from a service called Google Now, which debuted in 2012.
Android Integration
Google Assistant works best with Android phones. On many Android phones, Google Assistant is set as the default voice assistant. However, you can change this default at any time.
Google's Android integration gives it essentially the same system-level functionality as Siri. However, it does not have this same functionality on iPhones, being significantly weaker.
Better Conversation
Siri has improved over the years in this area, but Google Assistant has always been relatively good at conversations and general fun. It's fun to ask device assistants silly or personal questions, despite them not being human.
However, one major edge that Google Assistant has over Siri is a feature called continued conversation. Typically when asking a device assistant for the weather for multiple days, you have to say “What's the weather today?” and then “What's the weather tomorrow?” However, Google remembers what you previously asked, so you can say “What's the weather like today?” and then ask “What about tomorrow?”
This gives Google Assistant a more fluid user experience. On Google Home devices, you can toggle on a setting that allows Google to keep listening to you for a few seconds after responding so that you can ask something else without repeating the wake word.
The Best Device Assistant For You
Choosing the best device assistant is important when considering what phone you'd like to buy next. Although Siri and Google Assistant have similar features and performance, the fundamental platforms they run best on are important to consider.
Ready to start looking for a new phone? Check out our phone comparison tool to find the device that's right for you!
At Your Service!
Now you know all you need to know about Siri vs Google Assistant. We hope this has helped you make a decision about which assistant is best for you. Ready to pick a new phone? Take a look at our cell phone comparison tool to get started!
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