Apple’s standalone Siri could look a lot like Echo Show

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echotouchscreen
Amazon's new Echo Show voice assistant.
Photo: Amazon

Apple’s Amazon Echo rival standalone Siri speaker will come with a touch-sensitive display, claims KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

In a note to clients over the weekend, Kuo suggested that the Siri home speaker will have a “touch panel,” although it’s not known whether this will be a full-on screen or a simpler touch-based interface of some sort.

Kuo’s note comes shortly after Apple’s Phil Schiller said that voice assistant should boast screens to go alongside their voice-based input.

“[There are] many moments where a voice assistant is really beneficial, but that doesn’t mean you’d never want a screen,” Schiller said during a recent interview in Bengaluru, India. “So the idea of not having a screen — I don’t think it suits many situations.”

The comments, and Kuo’s report, follow Amazon’s unveiling of its next generation Siri product: the Echo Show. The $229.99 device was made available for pre-order last week, offering the usual smart speaker functionality, as well as a new screen for video calls, video flash briefings, YouTube, karaoke-style music lyrics, security camera integration and more. From the sound of things, Apple’s version could appear similar.

Apple’s Amazon Echo rival might debut as soon as next month’s WWDC. Apple has reportedly been working on a smart speaker for around two years ago, with a September report from Bloomberg claiming the device had entered the prototyping stage, complete with facial recognition that would allow it to identify multiple users.

Last week, tipster Sonny Dickson tweeted that the design of the device is now being finalized. It is thought to be powered by a version of iOS, carrying “some form” of Beats technology.

Via: Apple Insider

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