Apple pushes Siri to the fore at annual developer conference

Using the wake command “Hey Siri”, the much-rumoured device can play music as well as answer queries and control other smart home appliances.

To be “smart”, the latest product in Apple’s portfolio, known as HomePod, comes with a A8 microprocessor chip, the same power engine in the company’s flagship iPhone smartphone and iPad tablet computer. Schiller said devices like the Amazon Echo have poor sound quality, and wifi speakers like Sonos don’t have interactive voice assistants. It also combats the competitive threat from Google’s and Amazon’s connected speakers: Those don’t support Apple services like Apple Music, which brings in US$10 in revenue per user each month.

The Apple HomePod will be available for purchase in December for $349USD, which is a pretty high price for such a small speaker. One thing unique to the HomePod, however, are lights on top of the device that indicate when Siri has been activated, which can be done with the usual “Hey Siri” command that works on iOS devices.

However, judging by Apple’s past form, it is probably going to be a bit more expensive than its’ competitors’ products – but will be a more luxurious, high-end gadget. It also needs to be fun to use, Apple said.

In the privacy arena, Apple executives touted the fact that until the user says “Hey Siri” the speaker does not send any information to Apple. While the team is looking to expand its capabilities, the HomePod will initially be able to perform a wealth of different actions and will also connect to HomeKit for an even more powerful experience.

Amazon’s Echo commands 70.6 percent of the USA market and Google Home has 23.8 percent, according to a recent eMarketer report. But Apple (AAPL, Tech30) was careful to frame it as a product focused on music first – potentially differentiating it from the Echo and Home.

To this extent, it pairs a 7 beam-forming tweeter array alongside a 4-inch upward-facing woofer. “Spatial awareness” sensors allow the HomePod to estimate how best to modify audio levels to maximise effect in any given room.

Apple also said it was making its virtual assistant Siri more aware of context, enabling it to recommend and remind users more accurately based on how they use their device.

The company, however, did not show off the speaker’s Siri-enabled features Monday, saying it would release more information at a later date. The retro-named HomePod has Siri built in, but Apple didn’t lead with that or immediately present the new device as a stand-alone virtual assistant. That means it can connect to Apple Music and all of your other Apple services to serve as a home assistant.

Apple also introduced a new version of its business-oriented iPad Pro at an intermediate size with more storage, a better display and an improved camera. It can also so this when you’re away from the house by using the Home app on an iPhone or iPad.