Apple (AAPL) reportedly has begun production on a voice-response smart speaker, the company's second new hardware product category to be introduced since Tim Cook became chief executive nearly six years ago.
X Bloomberg said Wednesday that an Apple contract manufacturer in Taiwan has started production of a Siri-controlled smart speaker. The device would compete with Amazon.com's (AMZN) Echo speakers and Alphabet's (GOOGL) Google Home device. The Apple device isn't expected to be available to consumers until later this year.
Analysts have speculated that Apple will announce the product at its Worldwide Developers Conference, which starts Monday in San Jose, Calif.
With the Siri speaker, users will be able to get verbal responses to spoken questions about the weather, sports and other topics. The device also will be able to control music playback and home-automation devices with voice commands.
Apple's smart speaker will differ from the competition by offering superior audio quality and better support for connected Apple devices, Bloomberg said.
Since Cook became CEO in August 2011, taking the reins from legendary co-founder Steve Jobs, Apple has come out with just one new category of hardware, the Apple Watch smartwatch. Other new products have been iterations of existing products.
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About 14% of U.S. households have a smart speaker like Amazon Echo or Google Home, Technalysis Research said Wednesday. Of those devices, 60% were acquired in the last six months, Technalysis analyst Bob O'Donnell said.
"For those who have wondered what the 'next big thing' in tech might be, it's clear that these voice-controlled computing devices are it," O'Donnell said in a report. "Their rapid adoption and strong usage across consumers of all ages is not only important for its own sake, but it's starting to impact how people use and interact with their other devices, including smartphones."
Amazon dominates the smart-speaker market now, with 71% of devices in use in U.S. homes, Technalysis said. Google Home is a distant second with 26% share.
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