Apple Said To Be Working On A Smart-Home Device Even As Google Is Set To Launch Google Home Next Week

Following in the footsteps of Amazon Inc which introduced Amazon Echo last year, Google and Apple are both entering the smart-home assistant devices space.

Google of course has already announced that it is launching its device, named Google Home, on Oct. 4. Pricing for Google Home has been leaked and is said to be $130 according to Android Police, which would be $50 less than the Echo.

Further details on features will be unveiled at the launch but it has been confirmed that the personalized colorful bases featured in the Google Home images  previewed during the launch will be a part of the final product. The product is expected to handle complex queries using Google's expertise in machine learning technology

Not to be left behind, Apple is said to be working on developing a Siri-based home assistant device that will control a wide variety of home devices including locks, appliances, lights and curtains through voice activation.  If launched, this will be the first major hardware product since Apple Watch for Apple. Apple hopes that the product will be a complement device to the iPhone.

According sources, Apple's devices will be more sophisticated in terms of microphone and speaker technology. Prototypes are said to be testing facial recognition through sensors. Apple has acquired Faceshift and Emotient, two startups who have developed technology for facial recognition, over the last couple of years, which may be possibly helping Apple in its new product developed.

Apple is also hoping to use the speaker to not just control home devices, but to also handle others tasks typically carried out by Siri such as reading emails, streaming content or sending Tweets. Apple engineers are said to be testing the new product in their homes. Under development for over two years, the speaker project is a collaboration between Siri team and the company's hardware division.