Smart speaker assistants compared: Siri vs. Alexa vs. Google Assistant
Apple's HomePod brings Siri into the home for the first time, but how does the virtual assistant stack up against established technologies like Amazon's Alexa and Google Home's Google Assistant? We put the latest versions of each smart speaker to the test in this video comparison.
Although the HomePod is loaded with hardware and technology that make for some pretty incredible audio quality, the virtual assistant side of the speaker has been criticized for lacking the smarts of its competitors.
To see how far behind Siri trails, we came up with a set of questions to ask HomePod, a second-generation Echo and a Google Home unit, from playing music to creating appointments and placing phone calls.
A sampling of the queries and commands is listed below:
Music:
In our testing, HomePod and Siri was the least capable duo out of the three smart speakers. Aside from known limitations such as Calendar access and phone call initiation (users can switch the output of a call to HomePod from an iPhone), Siri failed to correctly determine simple commands that Echo and Home were able to understand. We also discovered new HomePod restrictions, like the ability to set only one timer at a time.
As expected from a largely closed system, Siri was unable to place orders online, a major benefit for both Echo and Home. HomePod suggested nearby stores after receiving a request to "buy candy," but was unable to facilitate an actual order.
Siri also lacks the ability to check flight times.
Another oddity we came across during testing was word recognition. Each virtual assistant uses proprietary technology to parse human speech, and while Siri did a fine job of detecting our commands, it seemed to lack the understanding of its competitors. In one example, neither Siri nor Alexa were able to properly understand "play the AppleInsider Podcast," though Google Assistant parsed the language correctly and began playback of our most recent episode.
There were some bright spots, with HomePod able to find movie times, provide hours and directions to nearby stores and update notes. However, Alexa and Google Assistant are also capable of delivering these same functions, and at a fraction of the price of HomePod.
If you're considering getting a HomePod, but are worried about how bad Siri is in its current state, remember that Apple will undoubtedly build out functionality throughout the product's lifecycle. How fast those features will arrive is anyone's guess, but the company is constantly making progress with Siri, and those benefits will trickle down to HomePod in due course.
Alternatively, if you have the money and are big on the voice assistant future, you can setup all three voice assistants at the same time.
Although the HomePod is loaded with hardware and technology that make for some pretty incredible audio quality, the virtual assistant side of the speaker has been criticized for lacking the smarts of its competitors.
To see how far behind Siri trails, we came up with a set of questions to ask HomePod, a second-generation Echo and a Google Home unit, from playing music to creating appointments and placing phone calls.
A sampling of the queries and commands is listed below:
Music:
- Play some chill dubstep music.
- Play some music by the scorpions.
- Add this song to my rock playlist.
- Make a new playlist with this song
- Set volume to 25 percent
- Skip ahead 1 minute
- I like this song
- I hate this song
- I have a dentist appointment tomorrow at 8am
- Set a reminder to go to the store at 5 o clock
- Set a timer for 30 minutes
- How much time is left on the timer?
- Set another timer for 1 hour.
- How much time is left on my timers?
- Cancel all of my timers
- Add an event to me calendar
- How's the traffic to fred meyers?
- Give me directions to fred meyers.
- How's the weather?
- Will it rain this weekend?
- What are the hours for Fred Meyers?
- Add eggs to my shopping list
- What's on my shopping list
- Give me the news
- Give me fox news
- Play sports radio
- Find my phone
- Remember the number 5621
- What's the number I told you to remember?
In our testing, HomePod and Siri was the least capable duo out of the three smart speakers. Aside from known limitations such as Calendar access and phone call initiation (users can switch the output of a call to HomePod from an iPhone), Siri failed to correctly determine simple commands that Echo and Home were able to understand. We also discovered new HomePod restrictions, like the ability to set only one timer at a time.
As expected from a largely closed system, Siri was unable to place orders online, a major benefit for both Echo and Home. HomePod suggested nearby stores after receiving a request to "buy candy," but was unable to facilitate an actual order.
Siri also lacks the ability to check flight times.
Another oddity we came across during testing was word recognition. Each virtual assistant uses proprietary technology to parse human speech, and while Siri did a fine job of detecting our commands, it seemed to lack the understanding of its competitors. In one example, neither Siri nor Alexa were able to properly understand "play the AppleInsider Podcast," though Google Assistant parsed the language correctly and began playback of our most recent episode.
There were some bright spots, with HomePod able to find movie times, provide hours and directions to nearby stores and update notes. However, Alexa and Google Assistant are also capable of delivering these same functions, and at a fraction of the price of HomePod.
If you're considering getting a HomePod, but are worried about how bad Siri is in its current state, remember that Apple will undoubtedly build out functionality throughout the product's lifecycle. How fast those features will arrive is anyone's guess, but the company is constantly making progress with Siri, and those benefits will trickle down to HomePod in due course.
Alternatively, if you have the money and are big on the voice assistant future, you can setup all three voice assistants at the same time.
Comments
I personally don't see big improvements in Siri over the years, but I know the limitations and live within them. I'm doing the same with my HomePod.
I hope things do improve.
I have an idea! Why not buy Echo and Google Home if you want all that millenial bullshit running your life. Those of us who appreciate the MUSIC (you know, the Homepod main selling point) will continue to enjoy our Homepods and the technology within...
If I need to shop, put together shopping lists, or other tasks, I will do it on, as the saying goes, the right tool for the right job, and smart speakers aren't it!
Only HomePod, when I get an upgraded speaker, or nothing.
That's an assumption. You can make a great case that Siri has been half-baked for at least five years.
I think it’s important to distinguish between two types of Siri limitations, though — limitations due to Apple’s strong commitment to privacy and limitations due to some technical limitation/failure.
I am perfectly happy to accept limitations due to a strong commitment to protecting my privacy/data. I would definitely prefer that Apple measure twice and cut once when it comes to privacy and security.
Limitations due to some technical weakness, though, are more worthy of criticism.
So, things like calendar and phone limitations due to protecting people’s accounts are fine. An inability to set more than one timer, though, seems lame.
To allow usage without touching the device, they use Siri.
Google and Amazon made instead devices to sell things, and maybe play music.
That Siri is practically useless (to me) and that needs scripted phrases to get things done, things I can do faster by using my hands, is a fact, but not a decision point to get or not an Home Pod.
And when Siri, if ever, will be upgraded to a level that truly is "AI", likely the Home Pod 3 with the A15 will be there (at 300$ more) to talk to a real live assistant, and not a robot giving you cricket results and a weather forecast.
I've heard that the HomePod will answer and fail on questions that your phone can answer when you have your phone in hand or . Why the dumber version of Siri?
I see no reason to buy a product that will annoy me when I try to use it as intended. Apple has a long way to go with Siri. Right now I'm (surprisingly) happy with my two SONOS Ones.