Google Search App Brings Siri-Competitor to iPhone

[MacRumors]

Google has given its iOS app a new search feature that squares it directly at Apple's Siri. Google even calls it the "most advanced voice search" on iOS. Google gives a number of examples of how the service can be used.

- "What does Yankee Stadium look like?" Google will show you hundreds of pictures instantly.

- "Play me a trailer of the upcoming James Bond movie." The trailer starts playing immediately right within Google Search.

- "When does daylight savings time end?" The answer will appear above the search results, so you can set your clock without having to click on a link.

- "Who's in the cast of The Office?" See a complete cast list and find out who made you crack up last night.

The service feels notably faster than Siri, recognizing words as they are spoken rather than all at once in the end. It even works on devices that aren't supported by Siri. One commenter on Hacker News confirms that the voice search works on his iPhone 4.

Google Search for iOS is available free on the App Store. [Direct Link]

Article Link: Google Search App Brings Siri-Competitor to iPhone

[timshundo]

As a heavy Siri user, I've been using Google's voice search all day and I'm pretty impressed. I've always defended Siri but this blows it out of the water for simpler requests (not maps/reminder/alarm/etc related).

[clukas]

This will make many iOS users happy who don't have SIRI on their iPhone such as myself!

[KieranDotW]

So almost Google Now? So basically, whenever a fandroid says iOS and Siri are inferior and Google Now is so much better, you can remind them that we iOS users now have the best of both worlds.

[fodawim]

Love the Easter eggs "sing me a song" results in you having a number of songs being sing to you (I count 5 at least).

Originally Posted by KieranDotW

So almost Google Now? So basically, whenever a fandroid says iOS and Siri are inferior and Google Now is so much better, you can remind them that we iOS users now have the best of both worlds.

Google now is the card system, this is simply voice search, google now is what gives you the card based suggestions.

[chuckd83]

"Is Google Search better than Siri?"

[richmds]

Interesting that they choice a very very similar female voice.
I am still waiting for a English sounding Jeeves or Alfred from Batman.

[east85]

I'm off to download it right now, this is awesome.

[Technarchy]

It works well but it isn't a Siri competitor. There is some overlap, but Siri does some things Google search does not.

[Anki]

Um, yeah, no.

[yearofthe]

Anyone else notice that the only voice searching tool on the YouTube app on iPad 2 is the one Google made? I wonder if Apple noticed that? Huh..

[MasterHowl]

Awkward moment when it's available on the iPhone 3G and iPhone 4, when Siri isn't...

[SamGabbay]

Long live Siri!

[NOV]

Originally Posted by clukas

This will make many iOS users happy who don't have SIRI on their iPhone such as myself!

Which is a bloody shame BTW...

[sshhoott]

Take that Forstall for not giving iphone 4 Siri!

[Sixtafoua]

probably not the best time of year to schedule a beach trip to cape cod...

[AR999]

Originally Posted by Technarchy

It works well but it isn't a Siri competitor. There is some overlap, but Siri does some things Google search does not.

And visa versa, in what world is it not a competitor though?

[bushido]

finally a voice that doesnt sound like an angry ex wife and its MULTILINGUAL. I can finally do the most obvs thing and speak english words to my german setting

[BC2009]

Google achieves this performance by incorporating "Google Instant" with "Voice Search". They interpret the words as you say them and then start the search before you finish your sentence.

Siri would have to do the same to compete on performance. However, Siri has multiple providers to consider whereas Google only has themselves. Nice work Google.

Problem is that I don't see myself using this much. Siri is only useful to me from the lock screen most of the time. If I am already in my phone typing then I don't use Siri. To get to an app in the phone I could just start typing or hit the app that I want. I use Siri to check a quick score or to set a quick reminder or to quickly ask about a movie. I would need access to this app from the lock screen to make useful in that regard.

[buddybd]

Holy **** this app works beautifully, recognition is far better than Siri. Not that I'll be using it more than I do Siri, but it's cool knowing this is going somewhere.

Beautifully done Google.

[Unggoy Murderer]

I find it extremely amusing to see that Google produces higher quality Apps for iOS than it does for its own Android platform.

[Badandy]

Good. Maybe this will force Apple to actually improve Siri and add features instead of just waiting until some arbitrary iOS release date.

[Technarchy]

Originally Posted by AR999

And visa versa, in what world is it not a competitor though?

Siri is not just a search tool.

How many of these things can Google Search do?

[rorschach]

It's MUCH faster than Siri for looking up info from Internet (movie times, sports, maps, etc).

Of course, it's limited because it's not integrated into the OS. Still, hopefully they'll add things like adding calendar events to Google Calendar and maybe Gmail functions.

[WhoDaKat]

I'm a huge fanboy, but damn the response times were impressive. Siri has never been a slouch for me, and does a bit better recognizing my voice but my biggest complaint is that is is a bit slow. (Sometimes its crazy slow, but usually its not bad). But Google search is lightning fast! We'll see how that holds up over the next few days.