I just tested the new Siri against the old Siri: How smart is Apple Intelligence?

Hello, Siri. Are you already smart?

It’s hard to believe that Siri was introduced over 13 years ago at this point. And all along, Apple Assistant helped with basic tasks like setting timers and sending messages, but it was eventually surpassed by Google Assistant (now Twins), Alexa and now ChatGPT.

So how will Apple respond? Having released a new Siri with Apple Intelligence as part iOS 18.1. The updated Siri has a new design with glowing animation and continues to listen so you can continue the conversation. This means Siri is more contextually aware. Additionally, you can now dial Siri and ask all kinds of questions about iPhone or iOS and get step-by-step instructions.

New Siri vs old Siri: How smart is Apple’s intelligence? – YouTube

To be clear, Siri is still a work in progress as other features are yet to be added. This includes ChatGPT integration this is included iOS 18.2 and the ability to use voice control of your apps in future updates. But I wanted to know how much smarter Siri is now, so I put iPhone 15 pro max with the new Siri against the iPhone 11 Pro Max running iOS 17 to see how far we’ve come.

New Siri vs Old Siri: Find me the nearest steakhouse

Comparison of new Siri and old Siri: How smart is Apple Intelligence? — (Image credit: Tom’s Guide)

I was feeling hungry, so I asked the old and new Siri what steakhouses were nearby. Surprisingly, the old Siri came back with more results in its list, but couldn’t tell me the hours for entry #2 on the list; it was also a bit slow. It might give me some guidance though.

Not only was the new Siri faster, but it could also tell you the time and directions to a second restaurant without having to press the side button. This is a benefit of the new Siri, which continues to listen, as evidenced by the glow around the screen.

Winner: New Siri

New Siri vs old Siri: which is the tallest building in the world?

I then asked both Siris, “What is the tallest building in the world?” and then “What is the second tallest building?” Surprisingly, both the new and old Siri got it right. In case you were wondering, it’s the Burj Khalifa, followed by the Shanghai Tower – at least until earlier this year when Merdeka 118 opened in Malaysia. The fact that both Siris gave the same slightly outdated answer suggests that they both access a data source that has not yet been updated.

However, things got interesting when I asked, “What about the US?” Old Siri gave me the tallest building with one World Trade Center. But when I asked, “Which is the second tallest?” instead the old Siri gave me a mountain of K2, which breaks the context I was going for.

The new Siri got the same first two answers right, and when I asked, “What about the US?” I have the Willis Tower, so Siri thought I was still talking about the second tallest building in the new location. It’s technically accurate, but not what I expected.

Winner: Old Siri

New Siri vs Old Siri: Tell me about Paris

This round wasn’t much of a competition. I started by saying, “Tell me about Paris.” and I received a very similar description from both assistants. And they both gave me the right answer when I asked, “How big is it?”

However, old Siri got confused when I asked, “How deep are the catacombs?” giving a more general answer. The new Siri gave me the depths of the Parisian catacombs, and she even went on and on and gave me a watch.

New Siri vs Old Siri: Sports

I ask Siri questions about sports all the time, so I thought this would be easy for both new and old. This is wrong.

I started by asking old Siri, “Who are the New York Jets playing this weekend?” And I got the right answer. However, Siri was puzzled when I asked, “Who has the right of way?” I just got a bunch Safari links you can follow.

The new Siri has entered the game. I have chances for the game and also for the over-under. But when I asked, “What is a protector?” Siri didn’t answer.

Winner: New Siri

New Siri vs Old Siri: A Trip to the Moon

For the next round, I wanted to see how well the new Siri could hold context when discussing the Moon. I started asking, “How far is the moon?” followed by “How long will it take to get there?”

Old Siri didn’t answer the second question, saying that historically it takes three days to reach the moon. Not while driving!

The new Siri got the point, saying it would take six months to get there in a 60mph car. He pulled out the answer from howstuffworks.com.

Winner: New Siri

New Siri vs old Siri: how to record your screen?

One of the benefits of the new Siri is that it can use large language models trained on Apple support documentation to answer thousands of questions about Apple products.

So I tested this possibility by asking, “How do I record my screen?” The old Siri just gave me a bunch of web links, but the new Siri gave me step-by-step instructions, which is very helpful. Anyone who doubles as the IT guy in this family would greatly appreciate sharing this feature with everyone so they can receive fewer calls themselves.

Winner: New Siri

New Siri vs old Siri: what’s the weather like?

You can use the old and new Siri to ask about the weather and get the same answers, even if you change cities. But the new Siri is still a little better.

I asked, “What’s the weather like this weekend?” followed by “When will it rain next?” both the new and old Siri provided helpful answers. Both Siris also gave a 10 day forecast without any problems when I moved to Chicago.

But this round I like the new Siri better. First, you get additional information displayed, such as an icon for the expected amount of sun or clouds, and you’ll also see wind direction and speed.

Winner: New Siri

Bottom line

The new Siri simply provides better context and provides more accurate information when you have follow-up questions. I also appreciate that it can continue listening without having to press a button on your iPhone. Siri certainly has a long way to go to deliver on all of its Apple Intelligence promises, but it’s a good start.