Siri: Still problems to answer simple questions

With iOS 18.4, which is expected this week, important improvements for his voice assistant Siri should actually come along, including the understanding of the personal context of the user. But Apple initially postponed the function – as well as others, such as the control of apps by language and the recognition of screening, at first, presumably nothing will be done before 2026. At the same time, there is always criticism of Siri’s current range of functions.

The question of the month

The system still responds to simple questions either or not at all or unreliable. The fact that Apple with iOS 18, according to its own statements, claims to have initiated the “start of a new era for Siri” does not change this. Unfortunately, there can hardly be any talk of an “improved understanding of language” (“Richer Language Understanding”). The new “comprehensive product knowledge”, with which Siri is supposed to help with the operation of the iPhone, often hits, as users criticize.

For example, if you ask what the current month is (“What is the Current Month?”) The answer “It was Saturday, March 1, 2025.” If you ask the question a little differently (“what month is it?”) In the meantime the answer came Siri doesn’t understand – In the meantime, the current date is mentioned (but not the month alone). In the meantime, users are going to activate chatt (on devices with Apple Intelligence, currently only in English), which, however, takes a few seconds longer and means that data goes to Openaai.

Siri knows products inadequate

In the so-called Product Knowledge, a kind of AI-based manual for the iPhone, incorrect information appears. So The system of setting menus that does not exist at all hallucinated Or names settings incorrectly or only inadequate. In theory, this can have bad consequences if users make settings on Siri’s instructions that they do not want.

Siri was first demonstrated by Apple in autumn 2011. Since then, the development has only progressed slowly. However, the competition was also possible: Amazon’s Alexa also meant a long time that users know which commands work and which not. However, the voice control system with Alexa+ has now been catapulted into the age of chatbots. Until Siri has come, users have to wait longer.