“Here’s what I found on the web” can finally be stopped. I put both the old and new versions of Apple’s Siri assistant through a few real-world questions on my Apple Watch(s) to see how they stack up. Spoiler: I keep the new one, thank you very much.
With the release of the public beta of WatchOS 27 this week, I wanted to take Siri AI to where it matters most: the Apple Watch. Apple’s digital assistant has long been in need of improvement, but nowhere are its shortcomings more apparent than on your wrist. Previously, all the old Siri could do on the Apple Watch was return web results, leaving me to wait for pages to load on a small screen that wasn’t designed for browsing.
To get started, I downloaded the iOS 27 Public Beta on my iPhone first (it’s pretty stable, but I wouldn’t recommend it for a primary device), then I installed the WatchOS 27 beta on my Apple Watch Ultra 3 via the Watch app. From there, I made sure Siri AI was enabled in my iPhone settings; it was also a new version on the watch. I kept my series 11 running on the latest version of WatchOS 26 with the old Siri.
Keep in mind that Siri AI and WatchOS 27 are early software and far from the final version that will be released this fall.
Read more: Win a new Apple watch in the CNET Big Guessing Game Contest
Exercise 1: Boat plan
I started with the old question that I failed Siri with: “When is the next ferry from Vallejo to San Francisco?”
Old Siri: “Here’s what I found on the web.”
This low-key response cracks me up. Waiting for a website to load on a small screen doesn’t help when I’m trying to catch a boat.
Siri AI: “The next ferry to San Francisco leaves Vallejo at 4:10 pm”
Winner: Siri AI
Exercise 2: Kitchen help
Next, I tried another scenario where I didn’t want to reach for my phone and risk getting it on whatever I was cooking. “What ingredients do I need to make butter?” (Surprisingly common question now that I make frozen yogurt in my Ninja Creami.)
Old Siri: “Here’s what I found on the web.” Argh! At least it’s compatible.
Siri AI: “To make a homemade butter substitute, you need milk and acid. The standard ratio is 1 tablespoon of acid for every cup of milk.”
The usual suggestion of “acid” was vague (and a bit concerning), but luckily, I’ve done it enough times to know that we were referring to lemon juice or vinegar and not some kind of dark acid. I would also ask a follow-up question to clarify (which older Siri can’t handle as well).
Winner: Siri AI
Test 3: The World Cup
In my last test, I asked something I’ve been looking at a lot this summer (I asked on Monday, July 13). “When is the next World Cup match, and where is it being played?”
Old Siri: “The next World Cup game is France vs. Spain tomorrow at noon PT.” It answered the first part of the question but completely ignored the forum.
Siri AI: “The next World Cup game is France vs. Spain tomorrow at noon PT at AT&T Stadium in Dallas.” It even asked if I would like to set a reminder. The small pitch was part of the question, as some matches were played in extremely hot weather, which affected the performance of the teams.
Winner: Siri AI
Bonus round (not shown in video)
I also asked a question I really wanted to know about: “Why was Erling Haaland substituted in the last minutes of the England vs. Norway game?”
Old Siri: “Here’s what I found on the web.”
Siri AI: He was suffering from extreme fatigue and a “dead leg injury,” which led to his coach pulling him out during the World Cup quarter-final against England.
Winner: Siri AI
Final thoughts
This is the first time I’ve intentionally wanted to use Siri on my Apple Watch, and I think it could be a game changer.
The WatchOS 27 Public Beta is available now, with a full release expected this fall around Apple’s next big product announcements. I’ll continue to test Siri AI as the beta evolves, but based on these early results, I won’t be going back to the old version anytime soon.
