Apple dropped the ball by ignoring Siri and announcing things that weren't ready, but is there any real data out there that consumers prefer voice assistants over any other manner of inputs? I would be most people use Alexa to ask it to play some music, set a timer or turn out the lights. Siri does most of those things but not always consistently well. We are still in the early innings when it comes to AI voice assistants, but even then I would venture most people are using text inputs when they ask ChatGPT or Gemini anything.
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Amazon's Alexa+ Now Free for All U.S. Prime Members, Beating Apple's Smarter Siri to Market
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vjl323
macrumors 6502
The "best" thing about it are routines. Perhaps with Apple Shortcuts and Siri, one can duplicate the functionality, but with Alexa, it provides a pretty smooth interface. I'm not a fan of Bezos or Amazon at all, but there are a few highlights that come from them.
Overall, I would say best to stick with Siri for privacy reasons, even if Siri can't process commands like other digital assistants can. Amazon's profiling is only 3rd to Google and Facebook, and not something I trust [even though I do use a free Echo for an alarm on occasions]; I always use Siri as a backup since if I lose power or internet or both during the night, Alexa won't run [she needs always on internet for even the most basic functions].
AusMness
macrumors regular
DocMultimedia
macrumors 68030
Ah, I did the force quit and it did go away. So evil. No way would I give it my contacts.
klasma
macrumors G4
srminton
macrumors regular
Yes, I've never liked voice assistants in the past but Chat GPT has nailed it by making it feel more natural. Most of the voices are annoyingly perky and sycophantic, but I found one that feels normal and use it all the time now. That's what Apple needs to match. Talking to Siri should feel natural and conversational, not like talking to the kind of robot you get when you call a customer service line.
Bobbuilds69
macrumors member
carrrrrlos
macrumors 65816
Is privacy still a thing? I use Alexa on the daily, she thinks my dogs make martinis and take me for a walk.
robgreene
macrumors 6502
Saving this article for when I get the Amazon email that "Your Prime subscription rate is going up to reflect our continued investment in exciting new features and services"
TANSTAAFL
TANSTAAFL
SnowPenguin
macrumors 6502
iLuddite
macrumors 6502a
Siri I don’t trust because it’s (soon to be) Google. Alexa because it’s Amazon.
CarlJ
Contributor
I mean, who wouldn't jump at the chance to give Amazon access to all your personal data, and often the ability to listen inside your home 24/7 - what could possibly go wrong?
I guarantee that you regularly volunteer that same exact data in exchange for services when you want them.
Good to know about its availability. Have used Alexa in the past. Today, I have no interest in trying out Alexa or its improved version.
burgman
macrumors 68040
Asked Gemini for Alexa use 2025 for you. 600 million Amazon devices worldwide, 78 million active users in US. One million already use Alexa+ so yeah is the answer… Assuming Ursa isn’t hallucinating
Interesting response when I asked, do you or Alex+ protect my privacy better. The answer surprised me. To long to post, high point for me is Alexa+ is Google home plus AI so Alexa knows far more about your personal life than just Gemini alone. Described Google Home as the muscle, Gemini as the brain.The trend in 2026 is to move to that hybrid AI like Alexia+
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The HomePod and its Siri interface are very far behind what they should be, and that's purely a result of Apple itself being caught with its pants down over AI. We need to see in iOS 27 that they are actually catching up.
villagehiker
macrumors member
No Alexa. Siri does fine from August 2011. AI is okay for web searches, but worse than mediocre for generative uses. Apple AI does a good job of proofreading and spellchecking, but as with human proofreaders, the writer always holds the final say. AI is not very I.
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Think|Different
macrumors 6502a
My all HomeKit home with a dozen HomePods and more beg to differ.