This morning, I woke up to an exciting surprise: a slightly newer version of Siri on my iPhone. As someone who has been participating in the Apple beta for operating system 18.1, I was eager to explore the advancements in artificial intelligence that Apple has been working on. Sure, opting for the beta version comes with its risks, such as potential crashes or even bricking my iPhone, but I find that the rewards often outweigh the risks.
The Update Experience
Overnight, after completing the 18.1.5 update, Siri downloaded a complete new version. When I first interacted with Siri this morning by saying, “Hey Siri, tell me what’s happening,” I was genuinely blown away by the response. Siri began by informing me about my daily calendar events, which, while not groundbreaking—Alexa and Google Assistant can do that—was delivered with impressive detail.
A Step Beyond the Basics
What truly set this experience apart was Siri’s ability to go beyond the basics. Without any prompting from me, Siri launched into a daily podcast of news from NPR, which I had previously checked off in the Apple podcast app. This unprompted action was a delightful surprise. I decided to engage further and asked Siri to play my Apple News report. To my amazement, Siri seamlessly transitioned into a 10-minute news summary, reading me various stories.
The Evolution of Voice Assistants
In thinking about this experience, I couldn’t help but compare it to my recent explorations with Google Gemini Live. Over the past few weekends, I have been impressed by how natural and reactive Google has made their voice assistant. Today, Apple showed me that they are right there with Google, and possible, farther ahead. Taken all together, it obvious that the evolution from the initial offerings of Amazon’s Alexa to the current capabilities of Siri and Google Gemini Live Assistant is remarkable.
It’s A New Era of Engagement
These advancements in voice assistant technology are not just about functionality; they are about creating a more engaging and intuitive user experience. With these updates, both Apple and Google are making their voice assistants smarter and more accessible, all while remaining free for users. As we continue to embrace these innovations, it’s clear that the future of voice interaction is bright and full of potential.