Apple Siri, Google Now tied in accuracy, but both need work
Google’s (GOOG) voice search and command application is now on par with Apple’s (AAPL) Siri, according to a new report. But both still need improvements to be really useful. Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster did 800 voice queries on Google (GOOG) Now and Apple (AAPL) Siri and both answered 79% correctly. “Google Now has improved significantly over last year, refining both its ability to comprehend questions as well as give a correct response,” Munster said in a research note Tuesday. He gives Google Now a C+ grade, up from D- in testing last December. Siri improved to C+ from C a year ago. “We highlight that Google Now has been gaining on Apple’s Siri in terms of correct answers in the commerce and local categories, but it still lags significantly in OS commands,” Munster said. But Google is focused now on improving the ability of its Android operating system to interpret and answer voice commands specifically toward controlling the OS, he says. This strategic change can be seen in the Google Glass and Moto X and G smartphone rollouts, he said. “Our test suggests that Google Now and Siri are comparable in terms of understanding the spoken queries and returning