Apple’ Siri Speaker: race with Amazon and Google started

Apple's rumored Siri smart speaker, which is designed to compete with the Google Home and Amazon Echo, is already in production ahead of a prospective debut at the upcoming Worldwide Developers Conference, reports Bloomberg. 

Citing sources "familiar with the matter," Bloomberg says production has already started on the speaker, but it is not expected to be ready to ship until later in the year. Still, Apple could introduce the speaker at WWDC, which kicks off next Monday. 

The Siri Speaker has been designed to compete against the Amazon Echo and Google Home. To differentiate itself from those other products, the Apple smart speaker will boast virtual surround sound and will be more seamlessly integrated with Apple products and services, like Apple Music. In addition, the Siri Speaker will give Apple users a new hub for controlling HomeKit-enabled devices around their home.

KGI Securities analysts Ming-Chi Kuo, one of the most reliable Apple seer around, had hinted about a smarter version of Siri—a smart speaker which will operate on Apple digital voice assistant Siri to take on Amazon Echo and Google Home.

He said, “We believe there is an over 50 per cent chance that Apple will announce its first home AI product at WWDC in June and start selling in the second half of 2017 in order to compete with the new Amazon Echo models to be launched.”

According to Kuo, the smart speaker will have “excellent acoustics performance” from one woofer and seven tweeters and computing powers similar to iPhone 6/6s AP. The device would be positioned for the “high-end market,” “better entertainment experience” and could cost “higher” than Amazon Echo, that is, more than $179.

Apple sometimes does use the platform to unveil some of its hardware products too. Rumours suggest Apple might launch a new 10.5-inch iPad, a refreshed version of iPad Pro and updated MacBook Pro computers.