It looks more and more like Apple will enter the smart speaker market soon, going head-to-head with Amazon and Google. Rumors about the Apple standalone Siri device have been around for a while now. Some of them indicated a very sophisticated speaker, others predicted a simpler one. All of them, however, suggested that Apple will show off the smart speaker at the WWDC 2017. This will take place next week in San Joose, California next week. There are only a few days to go until we find out exactly what Apple has prepared for us. Bloomberg already announced that Apple started manufacturing the device, so it’s only a matter of weeks or months until it releases the Apple Siri Speaker.
Rumor has it the Apple Siri Speaker won’t have a screen but will still aim to act as a homekit hub. Apple Music is likely to be a key integration and third party services could also be on the menu. Naturally, first party services will be the ones to take the lead. It’s believed that the Apple Siri Speaker might help iPhone users start using homekit more regularly, opening the door to other smart home devices and services Apple might offer in the future. This way, the company would encourage users to stay within the Apple ecosystem. This shouldn’t be hard, as it seems that Apple fans are the most consistent ones when it comes to gadgets.
As always, we can’t know for sure what’s up with the Apple Siri Speaker until the Cupertino-based company officially announces it. We have some information, but it’s based on rumors, not on official statements. However, lately, rumors have become a lot more accurate than they used to be. The lack of a touchscreen is somewhat surprising, given the latest Amazon Alexa-powered smart speaker has one, but it still is a credible information. Even though a touchscreen won’t be present on the Apple Siri Speaker, it could still be a great smart speaker. According to Bloomberg reports, it will feature virtual surround sound technology. Also, it could come with features that no other smart speakers have right now. We just don’t know about them yet.
If Apple doesn’t bring anything new and innovative to the table, there are really slim chances it could win the smart speaker war. Apple gadgets are not usually cheap, and it’s safe to assume the Siri Speaker won’t be an affordable device either. Apple should come up with something ingenious in order to overtake the Amazon Echo. Whether the Cupertino-based company has an ace up its sleeve or not, we’ll find out soon. There are only days to go until the WWDC 2017 kicks off on June 5. It ends on June 9, so it’s safe to assume Apple will announce the Siri Speaker sometime between these dates. Stay tuned and we will keep you in the loop.
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