Apple reveals details of HomePod speaker to rival Amazon Echo and Google Home

Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) boss Tim Cook has given a glimpse of things to come from the tech giant, showing off new features for devices at its annual developer conference in California. 

One was a new US$349 smart ‘HomePod’ home speaker to ‘reinvent ‘ home audio, which will be available in the UK and in the US in December. 

The speaker works, unsurprisingly, with Apple Music and has several speakers and a built in woofer.

Users will be able to ask Siri to play songs and answer questions via the speaker.

It can also be used to control other devices in the home, and reportedly will be in competition against Amazon’s Echo and Google Home.

Cook also used the 2017 Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) today to unveil the iOS 11, the software that will power its eagerly awaited iPhone 8 set to be released also later this year.

Notably, the new software includes new artificial intelligence (AI) and augmented reality features.

The tech includes augmented reality features for the first time, allowing developers to superimpose virtual objects onto a live feed from the firm’s camera.

Siri now also has a male American voice, and is said to be more expressive due to a new visual interface.

The smart assistant can also quickly translate English into Chinese, French, German, Italian and Spanish, with more language combinations to come.

Apple shares eased just over 1% to $153.86.

Story by ProactiveInvestors