Siri is struggling. It is struggling Answer simple questions Or create a simple calendar event. And the end is still not in sight, now when Apple has mostly delayed the “Hoosier Siri” of Apple Intelligence by the end of the year.
Meanwhile, the new voice of Perplexity AI is now the assistant here, trying to capitalize on Apple’s disturbances. In addition to answering questions, AI’s new voice mode is capable of creating a calendar event and reminder, playing music and making more. It can catch the conversation, and even do some web-based tasks. These are things that Siri cannot just do, not at least yet.
How to use Perplexity Voice Assistant on iOS
Download and open the latest version of Perplexity App. Anything repeatedly, you will see an animated Wave The icon on the right. It is a shortcut of voice assistant.
Credit: Silent reader
Just tap on it and start speaking. While you are speaking, an animation will show, and when it is answering you. There is also an option mute Microphone for long chat.
This is more than a interactive place, so you can keep talking as perplexity reacts. Tap gear Top up to settings. Here, you can disable the transcript feature, or enable a push to talk mode. You can also change the voice of the assistant.
The voice mode works in the background, and only stops when you hit the X button in the app. So you can start voice mode, switch to a separate app, and continue to talk to perplexity in the background if you want.
Credit: Silent reader
For sharp access, you should add moderate perplexity widget to your home screen, as it has a shortcut in voice mode. Alternatively, you can create a shortcut and add it to your home screen, lock screen, control center, or even action button (to set it, follow this guide.)
What’s better than Siri
Perplexity is directly integrated with apple’s default app such as calendar, reminder, mail, contact, and more. As long as you allow it, Perplexity can add events to your calendar, remind you something, and even drafting email and text messages.
As it stands, Perplexity also has a better knowledge basis than Siri, as it is connected to the web. So ask for something, such as “when the pixel 4A was launched”, brings a quick response, while asking Siri requires a confirmation through chat.
In my test, I found that the perplexity was reliable in making calendar events and reminders, as much as I often meet with Siri.
Credit: Silent reader
Preparing a draft of an email shows a clear difference between two approaches. I used the same prompt with both Siri and Perplexity: Ask an email draft Prana whether he is for a pickle match later this week. Siri took it literally, and drafted an email, stating that “if he is for a pickle match later this week.” That’s it. On the other hand, Perplexity expanded it to a consistent sentence, added a theme, and a composition box. Whatever was left for me to do, it was to send my name and hit (Siri also does not send an email without your confirmation).
Credit: Silent reader
My experience with text messaging was more Iffy. Perplexity can not only create a draft of a message to Pran, even if I gave it a complete access to your contacts (if you don’t want to do so, you can direct the email address or phone number instead). Hopefully, this is an issue of a day and later resolved.
Using the voice command, the voice assistant of Perplexity can also play music directly from Apple Music. And because Perplexity is integrated with YouTube, it is quite early when searching for YouTube videos. I asked it to find a soothing video about the hidden art of ceramic in Japan, and in a few seconds, Perplexity began playing the video inside the app.
What do you think so far?
Does bother that Siri can’t simply
Perplexity voice assistant can easily interact with you. There is a very smooth forward and back, where the assistant has recalled the details you had previously asked, know the reference to your signals, and reply accordingly. This is not only necessary to ask follow -up questions.
Credit: Silent reader
This is great for asking general questions, and learning things. Instead of 500 word reaction, AI of Perplexity will give you some sentences and will inspire you to ask further, sometimes you will also give clues about what you want to ask further.
Perplexity can also take action on the web, thought that you should be one to take final action, which is appropriate (and, honestly, appreciated).
For example, I asked Perplexity to book a table in White Olive at 8 pm in New York City, and it opened an open table with all the details that are already filled. I had to confirm the details, and finish booking myself. Then, I asked if Perplexity could call me a Uber, and it opened the Uber app with the location of the White Olive Restaurant.
These are things that are going to be able to do Siri with apple intelligence, but we will not look at these characteristics until the end of the year, and we do not know how they will actually work.
This is transparency and stability that matters
In my limited hands testing, I noticed that perplexity reactions were more consistent than Siri, and since voice mode is active by default, I need to hurry myself without feeling that I do with Siri.
Siri is sometimes great, and sometimes it just does not respond. Perplexity takes care of that issue. Of course, with the question of my text message, she went into a wall. Here too, it was peacefully told me that it was not able to complete the task, and it could try again if I wanted. Hopefully, these small issues will be resolved with more updates.
Of course, Perplexity cannot replace Siri in the true sense, as Apple will not allow it. Only Siri can access OS level features such as changing the togal, settings, calling someone, responding to text messages, setting alarm, and so on. But for all other things, if you are feeling disappointed with the boundaries of the Siri, then the voice of perplexity is definitely worth a try.
