A quick primer on Google Now and Siri for those who aren't yet acquainted with each. Google Now was first introduced in Android 4.1 and is an extension of Google search; Google Now scans your Gmail, takes note of your habits, monitors your location, and provides information tailored by these sources. Information offered can be things like the traffic you can expect on your morning commute or notification the package you ordered should be delivered today.
Siri was first introduced in iOS 5 and first supported on the iPhone 4S. This virtual voice-activated assistant can do things like set alarms, answer questions by verbal input, and serve up scheduled reminders, as well as create tweets for you.
I use Google Now on the Nexus 4 and Siri with the iPhone 5. I'm fortunate enough that in my line of work (I design mobile apps) I have access to an array of smartphones, offering me the unique opportunity to try and compare different operating systems and devices. After monitoring both Google Now and Siri over a span of time, here's how each compared performing similar tasks:
- MAPS and TRANSIT: For all things related to maps and public transit, Google Now is the clear winner. Google Now consistently quickly figures out where my home base and destinations are (it will suggest locations for you to confirm) and provides a fairly accurate estimate of how long it will take me to get there without having to query the information. Google Now's predictive information service eliminates one additional step Siri requires with the additional of a superior mapping details.
- SEARCH: For looking things up online it's no surprise that Google Now has the advantage. Google Now proves better in accurately understanding what I'm saying, capable of returning more relevant information that usually takes several tries to obtain from; Siri's searches required additional search terms to bring up similar results. If you're curious about how these two compare with the same voice commands side by side, video comparisons are plentiful.
- REMINDERS: When it comes to reminding you of meetings and events, each technology ranked similar. Both allow users to create reminders which cause the alarm/alert on the phone to go on off at the time you set. The steps to create a reminder though more often than not take longer on Siri, as it takes each chunk of information separately. First you say "remind", then Siri asks about "what", you let Siri know what you're asking to be reminded of, and then she asks "when", then you finally confirm.
With Google Now you can just use natural language to say something like "remind me to finish this post in 30 minutes," and it will understand this and create the reminder which you have an opportunity to cancel or confirm (waiting a few seconds will also confirm). Out of the 5 times I tried to get Siri to remind me to call Dad, only once was I able to accomplish this in one sentence without using the multi-step process mentioned above.
Google Now also lets me know when a package is on its way and it reminds me of events I purchased tickets for and forgot to create a calendar reminder. Another awesome feature is Google Now tracks my activity so if I forget to wear my fitness wristband or track my biking with an app, I can still see a summary of my walking and biking activity. Can I dictate a message with it though? No, and to be honest I'm ok with that. Did I have to make a decision to trust Google? Yes, but since I've been a Gmail user for years and a Chrome devotee, this wasn't exactly a big leap to make.
Diehard iOS user, wish you had Google Now too? Well, rumor has it you won't have to wait too long.
(Images: Joelle Alcaidinho)
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Siri is useless. I wish I could quit you, Apple.
I don't think you're using Siri correctly with reminders. I just created a reminder in one sentence just as you describe with google now and didn't have to go thru any additional steps except confirm. I'm assuming that even google now has a confirm step because otherwise you could have a cluttered list of reminders with errors that you'd have to go thru the trouble of deleting.
I can't say how much better the navigation system is with google now but I was able to get Siri to take me to destinations that didn't appear on my TomTom. So, you know, Siri doesn't exactly lose this one IMHO.
This hardly feels like a head to head comparison. It feels more like an advert for Google Now. There are so many features listed in your article that Google Now supports, but few that Siri does. In fact, the header image for the article shows Siri can do much more than you let on. Whether Siri or Google Now is better cannot be proved from the three facets you tested. Maybe those best highlight why you like Google Now, but what about all the other features you fail to discuss.
As KHinNJ points out, Siri understands plain language just fine for me.
There are a lot of other comparisons out there online. You could ask Siri to find some more for you.. or at least, you can TRY ;)
I think it is creepy that Google tracks where you are. Hello, Big Brother.
I have no idea what siri is. I know google, but google now? do you people really need all these "things"? I get by just fine without them!!!
As I mentioned above, I was able to set a reminder once with Siri without going through the multiple steps. I know Siri has difficulty understanding me so that could be part of it.
As mentioned in the piece there are some things that they both can do and there are others that are unique to the service. The features compared were ones that they both do and that I use (like reminders) others that are unique to the service like message dictation or fitness tracking are mentioned but are not called out for comparisons because they are unique to the platform.
In the last two paragraphs, I talk about the items that I use often and find the most useful and yes, they happen to be unique to Google Now (I don't use Facebook or send many messages or make many calls). Google Now understands me better, I can get the information I ask it for faster, and it has more items I find useful. For me, it's better. Whether it's better for you, all depends on your needs and which service understands your voice better. As I said in the intro, these services are often pitted against each other but how useful they will be to you really does depend on your needs.
I don't agree with the steps you say are needed to set a reminder on the iPhone. When I say "Remind me I want to go to X Restaurant tomorrow at 11am", it does so and sets the reminder.
This is obviously a biased advertisement for Google's service.
Wow. This is basically an ad for Google Now, with false information about Siri. The whole piece on reminders is totally wrong on Siri - Reminders on Siri I use every day: "remind me to call Bob tomorrow at 10 am". Same with alarms: "Wake me at 9 am tomorrow". How about "What's the weather like today?", followed by "How about tomorrow?". And you talk about Google Now using natural language?
I think this one advert has put me off coming to this site in the future. Shameful.
@curmi - Really? This is the first time you've notice a post such as this on this site? ha!
@m23b - don't think Apple (and your grocery store, your bank, etc.) don't track a lot of information on you.. Google isn't the only one.
Tested both. I have to admit Google Now was the clear winner.
I haven't tried Google Now, and I have some issues with Siri as far as what she can and cannot do. However, I have to say that the major thing I use Siri for IS composing messages. I may be in the minority, but all the other fancy stuff Siri and Google can do, I never care about using. To Joelle's point about not being able to dictate a message and not caring....I don't really care about the other stuff and would be LOST without being able to do messaging. I am always finding myself needing to respond to a text (or less often, an email) in the car and never find myself needing to ask my phone to google something for me or pull up my boarding passes. Maybe it's just who I am as a user, but at this point I wouldn't trade because it doesn't suit my needs even if it's overall more advanced. The only downfall for me is that I use Google Maps on the iPhone and Siri can't be involved trying to map routes or get destination times without using Apple Maps.
You can change Siri's language, which helps it understand what you're saying as well.
I'm obsessed with my Nexus 7, but I find Siri extraordinarily useful as well. It just depends on what I'm doing. Certainly the Nexus trumps anything web based, but Siri is a great tool for creating and managing appointments.
I got a new Iphone because I smashed the other one's screen. All the sudden Siri never seems to understand me. I am going to check the language settings!
@delg23 - all the Siris talk to each other.. they heard what you did to the other iPhone ;)