I'm sure it will look cool... Like Aluminium & Glass and stuff.. but won't be evolved as Echo...
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Apple's Echo-Like Smart Speaker With Siri and AirPlay Could Debut as Early as WWDC
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Who wants this?? Just look at the rapid increase in sales numbers of the Echoes... Apple needs to get on board. I have been converting my house to more automation devices and having a hub where I can control this would be excellent! Not only that, being able to control music and other services would also be fantastic!
I think you are not seeing the future... This IS the future and Apple needs to do something.
But Apple isn't behind. Not like you're implying. I always have Siri constantly available both on my wrist and via Hey Siri. Alexa doesn't have a watch or other already-always-in-voice-range device that I am aware of. That's why she needs the speaker thing. Apple's problem here isn't that they're behind on the standalone speaker device. Apple is behind because their voice assistant is relatively inferior. Coming out with a speaker thing isn't going to fix what's fundamentally missing.
Until Apple releases their own solution, feel free to follow along and create your own:
- Obtain Renuzit™®© airefreshener.
- Cut hole in base to feed Lightning cable through.
- Put older iOS device with Hey Siri enabled inside.
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I use it every day. I span my monitor to a TV at work via AirPlay, likewise with my MBP at home, and send audio to a stereo system. I stream photos and videos to friends and colleagues, I play Amazon Prime via my iPhone, as well as interact with other apps.
AirPlay changed my life. Not sure why you don't see the benefits of it. And it's far more reliable than my friend's chrome cast.
This is honestly a great point that I didn't even consider. Look at how you can't even use Siri to search/play Spotify on the iPhone. If it's the same way with this speaker, I'd have no reason to ever buy it. Hoping Apple really opens up it's Siri API or this thing will be DOA.
Edited: Macrumors went down for me for a little while and I lost half my post. Now I can't remember what my point was or if I indeed even had a point.
Uh, yes? It's more useful at home than anywhere else (excluding working out). If I'm out, I have my phone in my pocket. Watch is still nice, but redundant. At home though, phone just gets left on a counter somewhere with no reason to even go near it until my watch alerts me of something that is more than the watch can handle. You don't take out all your "pocket stuff" when you get home and leave it in a drawer or on the counter?
I think it's a smart move. Somtimes you don't have your watch on you and you're the only one that can use it. What about other family members? The core function of smart assistants is that it's reliable and conveniant.
How do you achieve that? Obviously through software by making it smarter, but what can be done hardware wise?
You make a dedicated stationary device that anyone can use that has superior speakers and microphones. What good is the AI of the smart assistant if it can't hear you or speak to you clearly?
Apple could take it a step further have it actually be a router. Imagine a mesh network of routers that are also smart assistants that can play music. Now you have a truly connected home.
It's a main feature of the Apple TV. I actually use it all the time, it's nice being able to mirror video or stream a playlist through my house speakers.
Watch WWDC... Siri enhancements are coming and the speaker thing, if real, has a huge place in homes. I have both the iPhone(7) and Apple Watch and they lack the ability to pick my voice up or may not be on me/or close enough... Not only that the watch is slow as hell!! A stand alone, always on, dedicated device is needed and they do lack this piece in their lineup. It is needed and there is a place for it.
Since I have two 4k capable receivers (Onkyo and Denon) and a media streamer by Yamaha that I got last year that all have Airplay integrated, I have to say that Airplay is "actually a thing".
That being said, it would only be useful to me on this platform if it could send audio from the device to any Airplay receiving device or zone I mention. If it is just for receiving audio from an iOS device, I don't see any value in that compared to Bluetooth (like the Echo Dot) since a device of this type is not audiophile quality anyway. If I can say 'Play Frank Sinatra and send it to the zone 1", it would be a huge step up for the platform since Airplay is bit perfect with 16/44.1 and Bluetooth is not.
Personally, I use Siri daily with Apple Music, setting reminders, turning on lights, setting alarms, etc, so I am not as negative about it as many of the people around here.
Was watching an MBKHD video on the Google version. He said at the time what it lacked was voice recognition for different users. So maybe they are going to add in accounts for verified users and voices it doesn't recognize are treated as guests?
I do, and I also take off my watch because I am sweaty and the last thing I want to do is wear the same stinky rubber band on my wrist for the entire day. Climate is hot here in Singapore.
Plus I am not so particular about being so on the ball with regards to notifications when I am at home. I am off work, and whatever it is my colleagues want to find me for, it can wait a few minutes or even an hour or so.
When I am outdoors, that's where I find my Apple Watch really shines, from controlling my music and podcasts to utilising Apple Pay to viewing notifications to barking quick commands with Siri. All without needing to take out my phone.
I don't think that would be a priority for Apple. Siri already has the burden of recognizing different languages. Different voices of the same language would be more work on top of that.
I use Airplay every day to cast my iTunes music to a high end AV receiver in the living room.
What purpose would this serve anyway? Just build the same functionality into the iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and Apple TV devices that we already have. We don't need an additional standalone speaker that does the same thing, but is even more limited due to not having a screen.
Apple has rarely, if ever, been first to market with anything "innovative". That's the point of what they do. It's better when they introduce it. And things they are first to market with are usually rough.
As someone else posted, it would make sense if these speakers also doubled as Wi-Fi repeaters throughout the home.
While I think this always on technology is neat, including the Amazon and Google products, I prefer to have more control over my household privacy and will not likely use this technology.
Some people exercise at home so they likely keep their watches on for that tracking purpose.
Read my post above.
Not having a screen is limiting, but it's also a crutch. A truly smart AI assistant won't need one.