Cortana, Microsoft's very own voice-activated digital assistant akin to Google Now and Siri, initially landed as part of the Windows 8.1 update. With the release of Windows 10, the company has likewise brought Cortana.
The Redmond-based company marketed this artificial intelligent assistant as one of the bestselling points of Windows 10, both on handsets and on laptops and desktops. However, Cortana has earlier been released as a beta app for Android and now, for iOS.
In this Cortana vs. Siri faceoff, we're going to check out which of the two will nab the better A.I. assistant label.
What You Can Do With Siri And Cortana
Both of these A.I. assistants are touted to carry out these tasks:
– Send out emails and texts
– Make calls to contacts
– Make calendar events
– Set alarms
– Launch applications
– Search the Internet
– Make conversions
– Modify settings
– Check out movie times
– Make reminders
– Get directions
Cortana, however, has some things it can do that Siri cannot. Here are the features unique only to Cortana:
– It can look up flight information and flight times
– It comes equipped with Shazam-style music recognition
– It can remind you when you are going to email or text someone as it boasts contact-based reminders
Activating Siri And Cortana
Apple's Siri is activated by long pressing the Home button on iDevices.
Meanwhile, Cortana is activated in a similar way, by holding down the search button using a Windows smartphone which runs Windows 8.1.
What is distinct, though, with Cortana is it serves as a Windows phone app. This signifies that you can also enable Cortana by tapping its icon.
Microsoft Cortana Runs On More Devices
Apart from being offered to users of Windows 8.1, specifically in the United Stated, United Kingdom and China, Cortana is also obtainable through Windows Insider to both mobile and PC preview users of Windows 10.
It's interesting to note that Microsoft has decided to make Cortana available to iOS and Android. This means you can use Cortana alongside Siri on iDevices down the road.
Furthermore, it will be made available via Xbox One, which is scheduled to arrive by 2016. Earlier, however, a few games have accidentally revealed the way this smart digital assistant can be activated on the gaming console.
Accuracy, Relevancy And Speed Of Responses
Rob Huddleston of Geek Dad carried out an experiment to test the accuracy, relevancy and speed of these smart digital assistants by asking a few queries.
In Huddleston's review, he said Siri usually provides the correct answer and displays it. Cortana, in the meantime, resorted to simply opening up a browser search far more often than Siri (and Google Now). However, he said Microsoft's digital assistant did not have troubles understanding questions as often as Apple's A.I. assistant.
The Bottom Line
For now, it seems that Siri is the winner in terms of overall performance. Given the fact that Cortana is still in its beta stage, a possibility still exists that the results will improve over time. It's good to note as well that Cortana is offering a few things which Apple's smart digital assistant does not have, but so far, Siri is still the best assistant for iOS.
