Microsoft has been having quite a bit of fun with Siri in its new Windows Phone ads. Reminiscent in feel of Apple’s old “Mac vs. PC” ads, the Cortana vs. Siri ad campaign shows Microsoft’s digital assistant having fun at the expense of slow, dumb ol’ Siri.
Not afraid to whip a dead horse, Cortana is now back in two news Windows Phone ads, showing just how much more she can do on Microsoft’s new Windows Phone-powered Nokia Lumia 635 than Siri can do on the iPhone.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DIdf99noLJk
In the first ad, titled “Lost”, Cortaina is able to automatically alert users to leave their house early in order to beat traffic, something Siri can’t even remotely do.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vfozrCjKHus
In the second ad, “Remind Me,” Cortana shows how she can link reminders with people, so that when someone calls, texts, or emails, it reminds you to, say, wish that person a happy belated birthday, or ask them what the name of that wine they served at their last dinner party was.
I’ve always found Siri a total disappointment, so I don’t mind laughing at these genuinely clever ads. Windows Phone has few enough genuine advantages over iOS that I don’t mind them taking a few potshots at Siri, especially if that leads Apple to improve Siri down the line.