Harman Kardon Product Page Reveals Design of Cortana-Based Smart Speaker

[MacRumors]

Harman Kardon has teased its upcoming Cortana-integrated connected smart speaker with a product page that revealed a little more about the device's design and features.

The web page for the Invoke speaker appears to have been removed since it was spotted by Thurrott.com this morning, but it offered a better glimpse at the device's sloping cylindrical design, which appears to fall somewhere in between the Amazon Echo and Google Home.

The light ring at the top of the speaker will be familiar to users of Microsoft's Cortana voice-activated assistant, while pictures suggest touch-based controls could involve rotating the upper ridge. Elsewhere, the mesh grille indicates the device's expected ability to project high-quality audio over 360 degrees.

Perhaps the most notable feature of the Invoke speaker is voice calling, which the Echo and Google Home do not currently support, although the Harman Kardon device does appear to rely on Skype for this capability.

No pricing was given on the product page, but the Invoke speaker is being marketed as a premium alternative to its rivals, so it's unlikely to be cheap. The device is expected to launch this fall.

Apple is rumored to be close to launching its own voice-driven smart speaker with Siri functionality and AirPlay support. The device is said to have a Mac Pro-like concave top with built-in controls and could possibly run a modified version of iOS. The product could be unveiled as early as next month at WWDC. Amazon is also said to be working on a next-generation Echo with a built-in screen and phone calling features.

In related news today, research firm eMarketer revealed the results of a study that shows Amazon is dominating the nascent market for voice-controlled speakers. The company's Echo range of devices will claim a 70.6 percent share of the U.S. market this year, the study found, while Google Home will come a distant second with 23.8 percent share, with the rest of the market shared between less successful offerings from other tech companies.

The number of active U.S. users will more than double for the devices this year, to 35.6 million, eMarketer said.

Article Link: Harman Kardon Product Page Reveals Design of Cortana-Based Smart Speaker

 

[maflynn]

I find Cortana to be quite useful and powerful, so I can't say that I'm surprised.

 

[macpeach55]

I find Cortana to be quite useful and powerful, so I can't say that I'm surprised.

I have a lot of time for harmon/kardon in terms of sound & build quality. This could be a really nice unit

 

[testcard]

Looks surprisingly similar to the new Bose SoundLink Revolve BT (non-smart) speaker.

 

[JamonBull]

So many players entering this market. I hope Apple joins too through unveiling a unit with great sound quality for music playback and a much more intelligent/responsive Siri all coupled with wi-fi mesh networking capabilities. I'd buy at least two if priced reasonably.

 

[macpeach55]

View attachment 698860 Looks surprisingly similar to the new Bose SoundLink Revolve BT (non-smart) speaker.

The Grill look was a staple for JBL when they were still making Docks for Apple products, & of course JBl & Harmon/Kardon are *close*

 

[coolfactor]

If those are images of the real device, I wonder why the release is scheduled for Fall? Looks ready to go now!
[doublepost=1494254028][/doublepost]

So many players entering this market. I hope Apple joins too through unveiling a unit with great sound quality for music playback and a much more intelligent/responsive Siri all coupled with wi-fi mesh networking capabilities. I'd buy at least two if priced reasonably.

I think/hope Apple is aiming to release a game-changer, raising the bar beyond what these other companies can do easily. Apple's device has the potential to really cement the word "Smart" into the smart home, rather than feel like an add-on.

 

[smacrumon]

We're in a real design down turn. This is uuuuuuuugly.

 

[Raveenbikha]

Is harman kardon is now owned by Samsung right?

 

[macpeach55]

Is harman kardon is now owned by Samsung right?

Correct

 

[44267547]

I have a lot of time for harmon/kardon in terms of sound & build quality. This could be a really nice unit

Agreed. I think it's a huge factor when these smart speakers use quality speakers for sound and range, especially when in larger rooms.

And Harmon-Kardon has excellent sound quality. My home theatre set up uses Harmon and it's astonishing how good the sound is. They use very high quality drivers.

 

[Vanilla35]

This thing looks pretty good, imo. I personally find Cortana to be very competent as well. Imo Google Assistant > Cortana > Alexa > Siri. Alexa has the most skills I believe, and Google Assistant has the best resources.

I'm holding out on home automation until everything is on the market. Not looking to drop over a grand on devices without knowing exactly what main unit will best suit my needs. Even at that point, I'll have to figure out if I find it worth it or not, considering I still value money over time at the moment.

 

[DeepIn2U]

So many players entering this market. I hope Apple joins too through unveiling a unit with great sound quality for music playback and a much more intelligent/responsive Siri all coupled with wi-fi mesh networking capabilities. I'd buy at least two if priced reasonably.

WiFi Mesh
AirPlay Enabled and co-existing for Sound/Microphone with that "Display" being AppleTV 4 that Phil Schiller talked about.
Siri - Needs an injection of some serious knowledge (where is all that marketing with Apple & IBM actually resolving to? Where is Watson+Siri marriage happening?