Apple is reportedly ‘stepping up plans’ to take the fight to Google Home and Amazon’s Echo with its own Siri-powered smart home kit.
Apple is reportedly preparing its own answer to the likes of Google Home or Amazon Echo, which would take the form of a Siri-powered home control center.
The device, which would supposedly be able to control smart home accessories and IoT gadgets which support HomeKit, has allegedly entered the prototyping phase.
Read: Siri is officially headed to South Africa
According to sources close to the project, Apple plans to introduce ‘advanced microphone and speaker technology’ to rival Google Home, which is expected to debut in October.
Several prototypes have been alleged to make use of facial recognition, which “may help the device act based on who is in a room or a person‘s emotional state.”
The report cites that:
“Beyond the home device, Apple is researching new ways to improve Siri on iPhones and iPads, two people said. With an initiative code-named “œInvisible Hand,“ Apple hopes to give users the ability to fully control their devices through a Siri command system within three years, one of the people added. Currently, the voice assistant is able to respond to commands within its application, but Apple‘s goal is for Siri to be able to control the entire system without having to open an app or reactivate Siri. “
“For example, a user would be able to ask their iPhone to open a web page and then share it with a friend without the need to ever launch the Siri interface. Other examples from Apple‘s current research include being able to print a PDF by speaking “œprint“ while reading it or saying “œhelp“ in order for the system to help the user navigate a particular task or application.”
The device would supposedly bear all the functionality Siri does on watchOS, tvOS, iOS, and macOS, and is apparently being tested in the homes of Apple engineers.
Read: Samsung‘s leaked Scoop could be an Amazon Echo competitor
What are your thoughts? Would you rather buy Google Home, Amazon’s Echo unit, or Apple’s own smart home solution? Be sure to let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
Follow Bryan Smith on Twitter: @bryansmithSA
Source: MacRumors
