Apple's Siri-Based Smart Speaker Has 'Over 50% Chance' of Debuting at WWDC in June

[nuckinfutz]

Apple crapped the bed on this one. I think a big mistake was killing their Airport Extreme line. This would've fit seamlessly in with that kind of hardware. But even before that, letting Siri go to crap has allowed Amazon to rule this market niche.

I don't think Apple needs to get back in the router game until there's a strong reason. I have a Time Capsule and it's served me well but right now there's not much to differentiate from other routers. My hope is that Apple eventually joins or supports the Thread Group. What's nice about thread is that it's

1. Low Power
2. Based on IP so each device is IP addressable
3. Supported by big companies like Nest, Samsung and more

Apple clearly doesn't see a future in Z-Wave but I just don't think Wifi, Zigbee and Bluetooth are enough. If there's a solid IP IoT platform this is something that could be integrated into routers and other accessories easily. Apple has not publicly came out and said "We're done with making routers" so there's always the option.

 

[MacsRuleOthersDrool]

You probably don't own an Echo. It's vastly superior.

How can you say that about a product that doesn't even exist yet?

 

[macUser2007]

Just in time to compete with the Chinese Alexa knock offs....

 

[ErikGrim]

I just need Apple's ecosystem to be, you know, more of an ecosystem. I need Siri to be able to aware of every other Siri device and where they are. I need Siri on my Mac or my TV to have the same capabilities as my iPhone or iPad where it makes sense. I need every AirPlay device to be able to stream to every AirPlay device in my house simultaneously. Why can an iOS device only stream to one at a time. Why can the AppleTV stream to none?

 

[macUser2007]

How can you say that about a product that doesn't even exist yet?

I use Siri, I use Alexa (a bunch in my home) and I use Google Home. Alexa works best for my automation purposes, even though Google's AI is actually better. Siri is just not in the running.

 

[WatchFromAfar]

Then you're naive. Apple harvests your data as much as Google does or did you think the "For You" section of Apple Music/iTunes recommendations just came from thin air?

They just lie about privacy all the while having their "partners" do the dirty work for them.

"She and her team are succeeding with innovative, big-data algorithms that aim both to improve the efficiency of Didi's service and to ease the congestion on roadways."

https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...ic-jams-go-the-way-of-the-flip-phone.2042582/

This guy gets it. Apple may not data mine your data like Google but their partners do. Every-time Siri looks something up on the web who do you think does the search? Does Apple have a search engine? No they don't. They partner with Microsoft to do a Bing search. Now does Microsoft have a problem harvesting your data? Oh course they don't, it's part of the deal they did with Apple. We Apple users can be so blinkered sometimes.

 

[Sevendaymelee]

But what will it do differently from Amazon's Echo? I'm an Apple fan but what can they bring different to the table?

As always, the bonus will be that it seamlessly works with all your iDevices/Macs.

 

[Ballis]

If it includes mesh wifi, ill consider it.

 

[dilbert99]

That's usually how percentages work, yes.

err, no

if there is a greater than 50% chance that it will debut,
there is a less than (or equal) 50% chance it will not debut
[doublepost=1493721798][/doublepost]

Yes, Apple should adopt Googles amazing non-asinine privacy policy so iOS can get hacked monthly just like android!

How many security holes has Apple fixed in iOS over the last few years?
[doublepost=1493721892][/doublepost]

SIRI's voice recognition has gotten amazingly good. I can dictate normally to it and get about 90-95% accuracy. i'll get one or two words wrong - that's about it. i'd hardly consider that a train wreck. What Apple needs to do is increase SIRI's capabilities, which I have not doubt they're doing.

For me it's about a 10% accuracy

 

[Abazigal]

Does anyone think that we might be looking at this all wrong? What if Apple decides to position this as a beats-branded speaker product, and focus more on its integration with Apple Music rather than Siri? This would allow Apple to still command a premium pricing (due to the beats branding), avoid direct comparison with the Amazon echo, and limit most of the downsides.

 

[KiwiAdventure]

Apple needs new products as I don't need anything else from Apple as all the Apple products I have will last for a few years or until they are obsolete.
Beats has rubbish sound.

 

[nwcs]

Which is easier to use for fitness tracking? I would rather wear a watch than run carrying a Siri speaker.

How is that relevant to a discussion about a Siri speaker?

 

[ValO]

If i can get 5 of these speakers for a wireless surround set, and when apple supports high res sound formats (in stereo for music and dts hd master, etc), i might be in for exchanging my b&w xt speakers and arcam surround amp. But these are the first baby steps, i guess. Would love a 4k apple tv, with higher bitrate 4k streaming, high res sound formats decoding, coupled , room eq and calibration , a apple sub and 5 to 7 hq apple speakers as a setup.

 

[Dave245]

Does anyone think that we might be looking at this all wrong? What if Apple decides to position this as a beats-branded speaker product, and focus more on its integration with Apple Music rather than Siri? This would allow Apple to still command a premium pricing (due to the beats branding), avoid direct comparison with the Amazon echo, and limit most of the downsides.

This is a very good point, Beats do or did make speakers so the technology is there.

 

[Southern Dad]

Last to the party with the Mac/personal computer?
Last to the party with the LaserWriter?
Last to the party with official networking?
Last to the party with Newton?
Last to the party with the all-in-one PC/iMac?
Last to the party with iPod?
Last to the party with iPhone?
Last to the party with iPad?
Last to the party with Apple Watch?
Last to the party with AirPods?

No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.

Your post is just griping for griping's sake, with no fidelity to reality. Haters gonna hate.

Guarantee: Apple enters this market and is a major player within a year.

I'm a major Apple Fanboy. I was late to the party. I didn't buy in until the Apple 3GS. But Apple has been late to the party with several devices and has been out front with others. The smart watch was one. Tired of waiting for the Apple Watch to be debuted, I had a Pebble for a year before Apple released theirs. Just like now, I've got five Echo devices because I want this kind of technology and Apple hasn't decided to deliver it, yet. As for tablet, iPad was the greatest and perfect release. The Apple Pencil is another great and timely release.

 

[S14Drvr]

late to the party and charging more than others......The way........
[doublepost=1493690676][/doublepost]
Because Im able to turn on and off lights and able to turn my Ecobee while in bed. Also turn off and on my entertainment system.

If this works in any meaningful way it will be the software that is the news story.
[doublepost=1493655144][/doublepost]

What you need is a more efficient kerosene lamp.

Hey man don't knock a wood stove. If you have the means I'd highly recommend it. I just don't see the desire to spend a couple hundred dollars to be able to sit on my but and turn my lights off. GET UP

 

[Karma*Police]

I have an apple watch and using it for home automation is really poor. There interface on the watch is just sub optimal and not all my devices are HomeKit compatible. It's not for everyone but I think it's still very much in the early adopter stage but growing. I think it's ultimately going to be more useful than the watch.

In any case, the watch costs much more than an Echo.

I'm not sure what you mean by interference, but it works great for me. I also love the fact that I have the option of using the Home app to adjust my lamps' brightness and colors in real time with on screen controls.

For security reasons, I only buy HomeKit compatible devices.

The watch costs more, but it also does so much more, making it a much better value IMO. It's also cheaper than buying multiple Echoes/Dots for every room in the house.

 

[ryanwarsaw]

Hey man don't knock a wood stove. If you have the means I'd highly recommend it. I just don't see the desire to spend a couple hundred dollars to be able to sit on my but and turn my lights off. GET UP

I have lived for many years in Northern Minnesota using only a wood stove for heat. I am well aware of their value. The coldest I ever saw it was around -60 at my place near Tower, MN back in the day and the wood stove worked fine. That being said I wouldn't shun advances in kerosene lamp technology.

 

[DotCom2]

How can you say that about a product that doesn't even exist yet?

Siri vs. Alexa

 

[ke-iron]

We all know Apple will make a better version. This thing willl be packed with local storage, Bluetooth, wifi, IR and RF blaster to turn on and off your tv, receiver etc. it will be able to communicate with every modern device with smart capability in your home. You have a new Apple TV and don't want to reach for the Siri remote to press the Siri button and ask what did he say so it can rewind? No problem just say it out loud and Siri home will know the Apple TV is on and automatically rewind it.

 

[nwcs]

I'm not sure what you mean by interference, but it works great for me. I also love the fact that I have the option of using the Home app to adjust my lamps' brightness and colors in real time with on screen controls.

For security reasons, I only buy HomeKit compatible devices.

The watch costs more, but it also does so much more, making it a much better value IMO. It's also cheaper than buying multiple Echoes/Dots for every room in the house.

I think it's a matter of perspective. In this case I have the watch and the Echo and can make a very informed decision on the relative value of each. I also don't think it's necessary to have echoes/dots in every room. While it sounds nice to say "for security reasons" it doesn't follow that anything not HomeKit is insecure. I just find using the watch interface clunky and much slower. If I had to choose between the Echo or the watch I'd pick the Echo.

 

[BoulderAdonis]

Does that mean there's a 49% chance of it not debuting at WWDC in June?

No, 49.9999999999999999999999999999...

You missed almost an entire %!!!!

 

[Ghost31]

50 whole percent?! Wowwwwwww. But because its a rumor, its more like 0.5 percent.

I don't even have hey Siri turned on on my phone. So the idea of having a dedicated Siri device that will probably tell me to search google on my phone half the time? Not super excited.

 

[mikecorp]

person who tested Alexa knows very well, that it is a rubbish device and Apple will not introduce anything better, because Siri is crappy buggy sluggy too.

 

[violentblogger]

For Apple to compete in this market this is what they will need to offer.
Apple's home assistant competitor will resemble the current airport extreme base station.
It will include a wifi module to act as a repeater/bridge/access point.
It will be of course homekit enabled and take the place of the Apple TV as the gateway for all homekit enabled devices.
It will have a camera built-in, hi-fidelity speakers, noise cancelling microphones.
It will be able to connect to multiple Apple home assistants in multiple rooms.
Thus Apple will update the current airport extreme base station to work with these new home assistants.