Apple's Echo-Like Smart Speaker With Siri and AirPlay Could Debut as Early as WWDC

[Terrinb]

Is Airplay still actually a thing? Airplay and Siri what could possibly go wrong?

Well I use it everyday. From my phone, iPad, and Mac, I stream YouTube, Amazon Prime, Music, and more to my Apple TV. So yes it is still a thing.
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If Apple true to form, it will only play Apple Music, only manage HomeKit devices. No thank you.

BS. Apple lets all of its competitors have apps on its devices.

Amazon won't put a dedicated app on the Apple TV or even sell an Apple TV.

Apple's pretty open. I stream Pandora to my Apple TV and there is a dedicated Pandora App.

 

[big-ted]

I never said you could find a lot of individual speakers using AirPlay. In fact, I said just the opposite. I said it was in receivers by most audio companies, though. If it is dead, they would not have it available on the Appletv4 or this new device.

The iTunes Remote app works with multiple AirPlay devices, so you are wrong about that. You may be confusing the new Appletv Remote app with the iTunes Remote.

What speakers/receivers can I buy in the Apple Store that has AirPlay?

 

[Terrinb]

Remember when Apple was "late" to smart watches? Guess who owns a significant portion of that pie today. You don't always have to be first mover in a category.

Guess what Apple wasn't the first one to make a computer, phone, or practically anything. As you point out, innovation isn't the same thing as first to market.

It is also harder for Apple to suprize people with a product then before. Contractors devuldge secrets, and the public has more eyes on Apple.

Often times competitors learn of Apple's plans and rush to market with a knock off product.

 

[HiRez]

By "carry some form of Beats technology", they mean "it has a speaker in it"?

 

[Uofmtiger]

What speakers/receivers can I buy in the Apple Store that has AirPlay?

Is that some sort of qualification? You can buy Appletvs, Macs, iPads, Touch, and Phones that have AirPlay built in at the store if that helps.

Also, the Naim Audio Speaker system.

Receivers aren't ideal for Apple stores. I doubt Apple wants to be bombarded with questions about how to set them up. The store is better for plug n play solutions.

 

[HiRez]

Well hopefully this is the start of Siri being improved

I would have hoped that start was like 5 years ago (back when they still could have had a large lead on their competitors). It's become marginally better in that time, but in barely perceptible ways, in my experience anyway. I still end up frustrated more often than not when trying to use Siri, even when I e-nun-ci-ate ev-er-y-thing ver-y clear-ly.

 

[Denmac1]

Siri is the biggest piece of crap ever. It never understands anything that I say, and whenever I try to pull up someone from my address book with an ethnic, non-American, non-Anglo name it goes batsh*t crazy. Tim Cook needs to be fired, the state of Apple today is unbelievably bad. Now they think throwing something on the market just because the other guy is doing it is a good thing? Since when?

Apple absolutely can no longer innovate. That's clear. Look at the iPhone that has barely evolved. Look at iMac that has not been updated in how long? Look at Macbook Pro and all the controversy surrounding the last release. Then look at Mac Pro that will not have been updated to current, basic technology until sometime next year or beyond. Apple's Board of Directors should be raving mad and should replace Cook immediately with someone who actually has passion for what he does.

At this point Microsoft has a more creative, more passionate CEO than Apple and their products show it.

So right on many points. However, as long as the stock does not tank, the BOD is not going to make any management changes, which to me, indicates that the BOD is as stagnant and complacent as the rest of the company. I used to update my hardware every 3-4 years, based on the fact that Apple would at one point not support legacy products, which to a degree, is understandable based on software upgrades and/or improvements. As I have stated before, my G5 tower (Power PC 2006) still operates as I need. I just didn't want to spend additional funds on software for my 2012 Mac Mini if I didn't need to.
Now they are playing 'catch-up' with Siri that is running very far behind as far as AI is concerned.
I would love to have an Apple gadget such as the Echo as I am deeply entrenched in the Apple ecosystem, which to now, has been OK. Apple, under TC, needs to reassess themselves as to the direction and innovation they need to take. If they can't do that, then upper management, including the BOD, needs a drastic change.

 

[Michael Goff]

Well I use it everyday. From my phone, iPad, and Mac, I stream YouTube, Amazon Prime, Music, and more to my Apple TV. So yes it is still a thing.
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BS. Apple lets all of its competitors have apps on its devices.

Amazon won't put a dedicated app on the Apple TV or even sell an Apple TV.

Apple's pretty open. I stream Pandora to my Apple TV and there is a dedicated Pandora App.

And yet you can't play any other music source from Siri. So where's the BS here?
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Well hopefully this is the start of Siri being improved

You'd think they'd have started improving Siri about four years ago.

 

[Denmac1]

I really hope so, because Siri is a constant disappointment to me at this time. My latest failure:

View attachment 697825

Just curious..did you you use the Apple TV remote control or did you know that Apple TV would put itself to sleep after x amount of time?

 

[Muzzakus]

Long time user of Apple since iphone4. Countless iPhones and iPads in the household.

Got a google home on a whim and my word I'm beginning to feel jipped by Apple. The google home is an eye opener and seems almost sci-fi futuristic compared to the bubble I've been living in.

In a matter of minutes the google home is controlling my entertainment systems, even adding things into my Apple reminders. I can ask it to play music from pandora, or Spotify or TuneIn radio. The voice recognition is leagues apart, the ability to handle questions is leagues apart. Kids play maths and trivia games with it, it helps them spell words. Answers pretty much any general knowledge question. The extensibility via IFTTT seems limitless.

I've downloaded google photos onto my iOS devices, every photo and video is being backed up, free. Also got google uploading my photo archive from my windows pc. I also got a cheap Android Tv device MiBox3 (also have atv4). I can now ask Google Home e.g, show me beach photos from 2004 with so and so. Bam, there it is on my tv. Gob smacked.

In summary, Apples window to pull a rabbit out of their hat is getting very short. Needs to happen before iPhone 8 or I'm moving onto greener pastures. This stagnation can't continue forever, and others will wise up over time.

Siri needs to get 10x better with voice and smarts
Siri needs to be extensible, it needs to be able to control any and all apps
Only then, can an Apple Home hardware device be feasible

 

[alexgowers]

Another one!!!!!

Has no one learned voice assistants are crap! They're dumb, really dumb for almost any task they fail to deliver. Adding Siri to the mix is kinda null and void at this point. iPhone, Apple TV, MacBook Pro all have it and no one ever uses it anyway. Adding a standalone device is so pointless.

 

[ValO]

Why doesn' t apple make it an all-in one device? So 1 master device with apple tv, airport express/router/speaker in one device, and the ability to add "slave" devices with just speakers/microphones to the system?

I already have an apple tv connected to a receiver and a great high end speaker set-up.
So this device would , for me, only add a better microphone , instead of the mic in the apple remote of my apple tv.

 

[djcerla]

you dont take your watch off ever?

When I sleep.

Of course the watch is many hours more with me than a kitchen speaker will ever be.

 

[The Game 161]

Another one!!!!!

Has no one learned voice assistants are crap! They're dumb, really dumb for almost any task they fail to deliver. Adding Siri to the mix is kinda null and void at this point. iPhone, Apple TV, MacBook Pro all have it and no one ever uses it anyway. Adding a standalone device is so pointless.

Google assistant is pretty good

 

[Urban Joe]

Sadly, I don't expect to be seeing any new life changing products/devices precipitating from Apple anymore. The CEO is more preoccupied with social justice issues/globalism and is clueless when it comes to creating compelling products. Apple focuses on a few things....but doesn't know what to focus on anymore Through iOS Apple has, for a season, gained a strong software/developer advantage. Once that goes....they're done. Microsofts innovation is far outpacing Apple at this point. Releasing status quo products that underwhelm inevitably erode the hardware loyalty...which is the foundation of the software advantage. Apple is in deep trouble and all the grandiose pipeline "talk" can't fix it. Ive can design beautiful products....but Steve was the one who new WHAT those products should be or at least was gifted enough to evolve them properly. Now you've got Cook, an obsessive compulsive bean counter, who has no clue relying on Ive to replace Steve Jobs' creativity vacuum and what you have is a hot mess.

 

[The Game 161]

And yet you can't play any other music source from Siri. So where's the BS here?
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You'd think they'd have started improving Siri about four years ago.

well know they have good comp i think they realise they need to.

 

[Abazigal]

Why doesn' t apple make it an all-in one device? So 1 master device with apple tv, airport express/router/speaker in one device, and the ability to add "slave" devices with just speakers/microphones to the system?

I already have an apple tv connected to a receiver and a great high end speaker set-up.
So this device would , for me, only add a better microphone , instead of the mic in the apple remote of my apple tv.

My guess is that such a device might be overkill for most people, and they would be paying extra for a lot of redundancy. For example, my Apple TV is in my bedroom, but my router is in my living room. And what if I already have a very expensive router I have no intention of replacing, or just want multiple cheaper Apple TVs to populate all my rooms?

I suppose I can see a use for such a product in places where an Apple TV might not be feasible, such as the kitchen or even by your bedside.

 

[willzyx]

Looks like Amazon failed with their Fire model range, but absolutely knocked it out of the park with Alexa.

 

[Uofmtiger]

My guess is that such a device might be overkill for most people, and they would be paying extra for a lot of redundancy. For example, my Apple TV is in my bedroom, but my router is in my living room. And what if I already have a very expensive router I have no intention of replacing, or just want multiple cheaper Apple TVs to populate all my rooms?

I suppose I can see a use for such a product in places where an Apple TV might not be feasible, such as the kitchen or even by your bedside.

I think it would be easier and more cost effective to make it a stand alone speaker like the Echo while giving it the ability to AirPlay to any AirPlay device in the house...similar to Google Home and Casting. I wonder if it will have some sort of networking built in, like the Airport Express, so people with archaic wifi routers can handle the overhead? One of the upsides to Casting is that it typically requires less overhead than Airplaying from one wifi device to another on the network.

Right now, Siri is incapable of working with AirPlay. You can't tell Siri to play Prince on your Den's Airport Express right now. You still have to manually choose the AirPlay device from a drop down menu. This has to be addressed on this device or I can't see any reason (at this point) to pick it over an Echo even if it ties into Apple services better.

 

[Rob_2811]

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.

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.

I use Airplay every day to cast my iTunes music to a high end AV receiver in the living room.

Well I use it everyday. From my phone, iPad, and Mac, I stream YouTube, Amazon Prime, Music, and more to my Apple TV. So yes it is still a thing.

What I meant was that its strange that Apple chose to use a modified bluetooth chip (W1) for the AirPods and all the new Beats stuff rather than Airplay. It kind of seemed like Airplay had been abandoned.

Looks like Amazon failed with their Fire model range, but absolutely knocked it out of the park with Alexa.

Their Fire TV devices had bigger market share than Apple TV amongst TV streaming devices last I heard.

 

[SSDGUY]

I find that Apple often puts enough of a twist in their own products so it still feels fresh and different. Like the Airpods and Apple Watch. I certainly haven't seen too many products quite like it.

I definitely agree they pretty much always do a great job even with a product that is not ground breaking. But it's been a while since they've been truly first at something. Miss those days … Mac/Mac OS, iPod, iTunes, iPhone … those changed everything. Wireless speakers or headphones, a music service still trying to find its identity … not so much.

 

[jujufreeze]

Unless Siri magically improves 100% Apple will be waaaay behind the competition.

 

[Abazigal]

Unless Siri magically improves 100% Apple will be waaaay behind the competition.

Way behind the competition in terms of what exactly?

Apple Music is available in more countries than Amazon or google play music.

Siri is accessible in more languages than google now or Alexa.

Apple has a larger distribution channel and will be able to make their product available in more regions than the echo or google home.

Google home was recently in the news for dispensing fake news and hijacked by a fast food commercial.

Google might have the leg up in terms of data, but that in itself doesn't automatically guarantee a better product.

 

[Rob_2811]

Way behind the competition in terms of what exactly?

Apple Music is available in more countries than Amazon or google play music.

Siri is accessible in more languages than google now or Alexa.

Apple has a larger distribution channel and will be able to make their product available in more regions than the echo or google home.

Google home was recently in the news for dispensing fake news and hijacked by a fast food commercial.

Google might have the leg up in terms of data, but that in itself doesn't automatically guarantee a better product.

That means very little to the end user. When an English speaking person attempts to use Siri and gets poor results they don't think "well at least Siri is available in Mandarin". Just means its a poor service available in multiple languages.

 

[npmacuser5]

Well I use it everyday. From my phone, iPad, and Mac, I stream YouTube, Amazon Prime, Music, and more to my Apple TV. So yes it is still a thing.
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BS. Apple lets all of its competitors have apps on its devices.

Amazon won't put a dedicated app on the Apple TV or even sell an Apple TV.

Apple's pretty open. I stream Pandora to my Apple TV and there is a dedicated Pandora App.

Not really about the apps. About Apples integration into their echo system. Example, ask Siri to play a specific Pandora song, station, and then do a thumbs up or down. More challenging, tell Siri to make a playlist or add a station on Spotify. Same applies with home automation. Very difficult for Apple as their DNA is a closed system. Thus my satirical comment.
As per your Amazon comment. Tell me how many competitive devices does Apple put their apps on? The whole thing with Amazon was Apples one way street attitude. Apple needs to recognize, they are not the only show in town anymore.