The technical engine behind it is better, but the UX for using it on a locked phone isn't good. All of my issues are solvable by android, they aren't technically hard. But it's still an issue after all of these years.
For me, I only use voice in a car and some other basic cases, since it fails on the locked phone case for me, it's not that useful.
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My basic issues with android:
1. A battery monitor that just works(tm) without playing science experiment. An OS that clamps down on apps to prevent it becoming an issue in the first place.
2. Faster & better camera software, quickly accessible from a locked screen, quick to start, helps me take photos without me realizing it.
3. A voice interface that works well when the screen is locked or occupied by another app, where it easily does things like:
a) Send & speak text messages
b) Control my music / podcasts
c) Change my GPS navigation.
4. An OS that really tries in security. Android is not as secure as iOS, as evidenced by the prices of jailbreaks.
5. An OS that will get updates on devices for years to come. Windows has being doing it for decades despite having similar hardware fragmentation, why can't android do it?
"The technical engine behind it is better, but the UX for using it on a locked phone isn't good"
The OK Google thing on completely locked device has been working on Moto phones (and later Nexus devices) way before hands-free "Hey Siri" thing became generally usable on untethered iPhone 6s last year (at long last).
And calling the incredible functionality of Google Now as "better technical engine" is quite an understatement. If iOS had this service integrated behind it, the entire world would be plastered with TV ads 24x7 calling out this "Magical" experience. Instead Apple's best effort is Siri, which works so well that this entire subreddit (https://www.reddit.com/r/Siri/) is mostly devoted to Siri's hilarious fuck-ups. That's the reason you don't really see much marketing about Siri anymore. Instead the focus has shifted mostly on hardwares... especially the camera (which is indeed amazing).
For me, I only use voice in a car and some other basic cases, since it fails on the locked phone case for me, it's not that useful.
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My basic issues with android:
1. A battery monitor that just works(tm) without playing science experiment. An OS that clamps down on apps to prevent it becoming an issue in the first place.
2. Faster & better camera software, quickly accessible from a locked screen, quick to start, helps me take photos without me realizing it.
3. A voice interface that works well when the screen is locked or occupied by another app, where it easily does things like:
a) Send & speak text messages
b) Control my music / podcasts
c) Change my GPS navigation.
4. An OS that really tries in security. Android is not as secure as iOS, as evidenced by the prices of jailbreaks.
5. An OS that will get updates on devices for years to come. Windows has being doing it for decades despite having similar hardware fragmentation, why can't android do it?