Microsoft today launched a new commercial comparing its Cortana virtual assistant and the HTC One M8 for Windows to Siri and the iPhone 5s, showing a variety of hardware features and software integration that isn’t possible with Apple’s device.
The ad is titled “Siri vs. Cortana – Mirror Mirror” and depicts Cortana and Siri talking to each other about a number of features on the new HTC One M8 for Windows. Cortana demonstrates how it can work with a user’s calendar and traffic to provide route and mapping information, while also showing off the HTC One M8’s dual front-facing speakers. The commercial ends with Siri remarking that she only has one speaker and that she is “sitting on it,” referring to the speaker placement on the iPhone.
The new ad follows a commercial released in July showing off Cortana’s ability to perform contextually-aware tasks and poking fun at Siri’s inability to do the same. Cortana was originally announced earlier this year as a part of Windows Phone 8.1, with Microsoft emphasizing the virtual assistant’s ability to relate tasks to people and places. A Windows Phone manager also stated in June that Microsoft would like Cortana to be on other mobile platforms, perhaps hinting at an expansion of the assistant to iOS and Android.
