Apple's Plans for Upcoming Siri Speaker Remain Unclear in Regard to Display

With Amazon having launched the Echo Show, a new Alexa-enabled smart speaker that comes equipped with a 7-inch screen, Bloomberg has shared a little tidbit on Apple's own speaker plans, making it clear that there's still no concrete information on whether Apple's speaker will include a display.

In a piece outlining Amazon's new speaker, Bloomberg references a comment made recently by Apple marketing chief Phil Schiller, where he said that a voice assistant in a device without a screen doesn't "suit many situations."

While marketing chief Phil Schiller recently talked up the benefits of having a screen on a voice-activated device, it's not clear whether the Apple version will in fact have one.

Rumors of Apple's work on some kind of in-home Siri-based smart speaker to compete with the Amazon Echo first surfaced in early 2016, but while the speaker is said to be close to launching, details remain scant.

amazonechoshow

The new Amazon Echo Show

We've heard it will feature Siri integration and focus heavily on sound quality, with "excellent acoustics performance" and some form of Beats technology. Design details shared in late April said it would feature a Mac Pro-style concave top with built-in controls and a "fat" body with speaker mesh covering the majority of the device, but no display was mentioned.

KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has said the speaker has a 50 percent chance of debuting at Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference coming in June, and as Bloomberg first mentioned in September (and reiterates again today) the speaker is currently being tested within the homes of Apple employees, so it may not be long before we have more concrete details about the device.

Based on today's Bloomberg report, Apple's speaker will have one benefit over the Amazon Echo and Google Home - native Apple Music integration. Amazon devices chief Dave Limp told Bloomberg that while Amazon would "love to have Apple" the company is "not super big" on allowing Apple Music integration.

For more details on Apple's upcoming Siri speaker, make sure to check out our dedicated roundup, which aggregates all of the information we've heard about the device so far. More information about Amazon's Echo Show can be found in our launch article.

Related Roundup: HomePod
Buyer's Guide: HomePod (Buy Now)

Top Rated Comments

TimUSCA Avatar
86 months ago
I don't see the point of the screen unless it's $99 or so. The Echo Show, at $229, is nothing more than a severely limited tablet with a stand built into it. It's just too expensive for what it is.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Breaking Good Avatar
86 months ago
As others have alluded to already, I don't see the point of a screen for a Siri speaker with a screen. That's why I have a screen on my iPad, iPhone and Apple Watch.

Why would I bother to walk over to see a screen on a speaker? I thought the whole idea of the speaker was so that I wouldn't have to walk anywhere. I can just as easily walk over and pick up my smartphone or tablet if I need to look at something.

I already have a speaker with a screen on it. It's called a television.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Ventilatedbrain Avatar
86 months ago
A smart speaker , I think that's enough smart things ( says the guy who will probably get it ) but isn't this gonna be like an old iPad just sitting in the living room ?
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
macsplusmacs Avatar
86 months ago
What if he's still saying the truth.

You: what's the weather today?
Apple Home Device: (Voice) It will be 72 degrees today.
Iphone: Screen lights up immediately on your iPhone / iPad what ever is being used showing the weather and other contextual information.


Your iDevice can now extend and act as the "screen" to the Apple Home Device for further reading and interaction.

???
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Winni Avatar
86 months ago
I don't see the point of the screen unless it's $99 or so. The Echo Show, at $229, is nothing more than a severely limited tablet with a stand built into it. It's just too expensive for what it is.

No, it's not. It also is definitely not a tablet and it doesn't want to be one. Watch the video that Amazon made for it. Normal people in their every day life using this device for EXACTLY what normal people in their every day life would want to do with such a gadget -- when their hands are busy doing chores, working in their homes or changing their babies' diapers. The way Amazon lets them use the screen MAKES SENSE and actually is helpful -- beyond the scope of what a tablet could do in any of these situations. Amazon "got it".

And yes, I will buy one of those gadgets, too, the moment they become available in Germany.
[doublepost=1494360901][/doublepost]
Well, I'm sure Apple's solution will definitely be better looking than This fugly Echo Show
Yes, it will be better looking, absolutely. But that will be the only advantage. At the same time, it will also be less useful and it will be crippled in some way - because it will be dependent on some other iOS device that I don't have and don't want to buy. Then there is Siri, which is not even playing the same sport as Alexa...
[doublepost=1494360943][/doublepost]
I'm going to get an ipad and a nice stan instead
Good luck with using that combo without your hands.
[doublepost=1494361238][/doublepost]
I think the 'Show' looks like a great device that will fly off the shelves.

No doubt it will be $199 after promotions, Black Friday etc.

The fact that the 'Show' works with existing Dots and Echos for voice call will make this a 100% success IMO and save folks with long distance landline calls - cancel your phones landline, just have broadband.
Amazon got it nailed. They focused on the things where a screen can actually add value to Alexa, and they made it work. And at this price -- especially since you can get two devices for a significant rebate (just to push the video call feature) - this thing will sell itself (at least in first world countries).

Oh... And then there still is the fact that this platform is entirely open for third party developers and everybody can develop "skills" for Alexa with almost zero investment.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
deany Avatar
86 months ago
Why is everyone acting as if Apple does NOT have an iPad in their line up? Add a wall mount and what else do you need? Speakers? They got that nailed wirelessly I believe? I don't understand this selective blindness going on in the Apple press?
The iPad has 1 microphone, the Echo Dot has 7 the Echo show has 8.

I think this is why Siri is not as acurate as we would all like.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

apple card 1

Apple Ending Apple Card Partnership With Goldman Sachs

Tuesday November 28, 2023 3:09 pm PST by
Apple is ending its credit card partnership with Goldman Sachs, according to The Wall Street Journal. Apple plans to stop working with Goldman Sachs in the next 12 to 15 months, and it is not yet clear if Apple has established a new partnership for the Apple Card. Apple and Goldman Sachs will dissolve their entire consumer partnership, including the Apple Card and the Apple Savings account....
iOS 17

Everything New in iOS 17.2 Beta 4

Tuesday November 28, 2023 12:18 pm PST by
Apple is wrapping up development on iOS 17.2, with the update expected to come out in December. While we're getting to the end of the beta testing period, Apple is still tweaking features and adding new functionality. We've rounded up everything new in the fourth beta of iOS 17.2. Default Notification Sound Under Sounds & Haptics, there's a new "Default Alerts" section that allows you to ...
ios 17 namedrop

Police Departments and News Sites Spreading Misinformation About How iOS 17 NameDrop Feature Works

Monday November 27, 2023 5:11 pm PST by
Apple with iOS 17.1 and watchOS 10.1 introduced a new NameDrop feature that is designed to allow users to place Apple devices near one another to quickly exchange contact information. Sharing contact information is done with explicit user permission, but some news organizations and police departments have been spreading misinformation about how NameDrop functions. As noted by The Washington...
All New CarPlay Five New Features Article 2

What to Expect From All-New CarPlay, Still Listed as Coming 'Late 2023'

Tuesday November 28, 2023 7:44 am PST by
At WWDC in June 2022, Apple previewed the next generation of CarPlay, promising deeper integration with vehicle functions like A/C and FM radio, support for multiple displays across the dashboard, increased personalization, and more. Apple's website still says the first vehicles with support for the next-generation CarPlay experience will be announced in "late 2023," but it has not shared...
iOS 17

iOS 17.1.2 Update for iPhone Likely to Be Released This Week

Monday November 27, 2023 8:24 am PST by
Apple will likely release iOS 17.1.2 this week, based on mounting evidence of the software in our website's analytics logs in recent days. As a minor update, iOS 17.1.2 should be focused on bug fixes, but it's unclear exactly which issues might be addressed. Some users have continued to experience Wi-Fi issues on iOS 17.1.1, so perhaps iOS 17.1.2 will include the same fix for Wi-Fi...
Apple 5G Modem Feature Triad

Apple to Discontinue Custom 5G Modem Development, Claim Reports

Wednesday November 29, 2023 4:19 am PST by
Apple is discontinuing in-house modem development after several unsuccessful attempts to perfect its own custom 5G modem chip, according to unconfirmed reports coming out of Asia. According to the operator of news aggregator account "yeux1122" on the Naver blog, supply chain sources related to Apple's 5G modem departments claim that the company's attempts to develop its own modem have...
Apple Logo

Apple Discontinued These 5 Products This Year

Monday November 27, 2023 7:03 am PST by
As the end of 2023 nears, now is a good opportunity to look back at some of the devices and accessories that Apple discontinued throughout the year. Apple products discontinued in 2023 include the iPhone 13 mini, 13-inch MacBook Pro, MagSafe Battery Pack, MagSafe Duo Charger, and leather accessories. Also check out our lists of Apple products discontinued in 2022 and 2021. iPhone Mini ...
Google Drive

Some Google Drive Users' Files Have Mysteriously Vanished

Tuesday November 28, 2023 3:55 am PST by
Google Drive users have been warned not to disconnect their account within the Google Drive for desktop app, after a spate of reports of files going missing from the cloud service. Alarm bells began ringing last week on Google's community support site when some users reported files mysteriously disappearing from Google Drive, with some posters claiming six or more months of data had...