Siri, Apple’s virtual assistant, has come a long way since its launch, and in 2024 it faces fierce competition from assistants like Alexa and Google Assistant. With iOS 18, Apple has managed to take its artificial intelligence to another level, but the question remains in the air: Has its evolution been enough or is it falling behind in the technological race?
With the release of iOS 18, Siri has received a number of updates that improve its interaction capacity with the user.
Is Siri really evolving in iOS 18?
One of the most notable changes is its ability to perform more complex actions, such as background task managementsend emails or manage smart devices at home with greater precision. It should be noted that Apple is introducing all of this little by little.
Additionally, Siri is now capable of offering more contextual responses. If before you could only ask Siri to tell you the time or remind you of an event, now Siri can better understand your routines and offer you suggestions before you ask for them. For example, if you usually turn on the lights when you get home, Siri will do so automatically based on your location and habits.
Apple focuses on privacy with Siri
However, what really sets Siri apart from its competitors is Apple’s approach to privacy. While Google Assistant and Alexa process many of their interactions in the cloud, Siri largely works locally on the device, ensuring greater protection of personal data. This is a clear advantage for those users concerned about security, but it is also a limitation to Siri’s ability to learn more quickly and efficiently.
Google and Amazon rely on huge databases to improve their AI, allowing them to offer more sophisticated services. Siri, with its focus on privacy, has a slower learning curve, which has led some users to feel frustrated by the lack of innovation compared to its rivals.
The future of Siri and the competition
Despite the improvements, the big question is whether Siri can really dethrone Alexa or Google Assistant in terms of popularity and usability. Alexa continues to be the most integrated assistant in the smart home, and Google Assistant stands out for its search capacity and natural language understanding.
Siri, on the other hand, remains the favorite assistant for Apple users, but has failed to expand beyond this ecosystem in any significant way. Although interaction with the iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and HomePod is seamless, its use on third-party devices is almost non-existent.
Apple has made it clear that it has no plans to turn Siri into a “sentient” AI as some competitors are trying to do with their Artificial General Intelligence developments. Instead, the company seeks to make Siri a functional tool, focused on helping with everyday tasks, with a focus on privacy and security.
