WWDC 2017: Apple unveils virtual reality, browser privacy features on Macs

The company announced a new voice-controlled speaker during its WWDC developer conference in California on Monday. Making the most of it will require a subscription to Apple's own music streaming service, which runs $10 to $15 per month and has attracted 27 million subscribers so far. More importantly, why is Apple giving Amazon and Google such a long runway to improve their next line of products or push major updates?

The 17cm-tall, connected home product is linked up with Apple's voice control system Siri, meaning it can carry out tasks such as sending messages, gathering news, weather and sports updates, and control other smart home devices such as lights and curtains. It's expected the HomePod will be available later this year for about $350. Alexa by Amazon has since then taken over, being made available to the consumer in the form of its hugely popular Echo devices such as the Echo speaker.

It also includes a large Apple-designed woofer for deep bass, a selection of seven tweeters that offer high-frequency acoustics with directional control and powerful technologies.

In one demo at Apple's annual conference for software programmers, Apple executive Craig Federighi pointed a camera at a table on stage and added a virtual coffee cup and a lamp on the real table.

HomePod is deemed a more expensive competitor of Echo, which was released two years ago.

Apple is tapping into a market that is projected to be the next big thing in the technology industry.

WWDC 2017: Apple unveils virtual reality, browser privacy features on Macs

HomePod is created to work with the Apple Music subscription service and can produce rich sound while tapping into the artificial intelligence power of Siri.

Safari, Apple's web browser, seeks to make users' online experience smoother and less annoying.

For one, Apple has locked itself into a design for the device, so they can't really make any major changes at this point.

Addressing Apple's digital assistant, you'll be able to say, "Hey Siri, play Busta Rhymes" "Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Could See, '" and you'll be jamming.

Apple is also bringing the ability to send money to friends or other people through its payment service, Apple Pay.

"Only time will tell if the new Siri can compete with Google's knowledge graph or Amazon's natural voice processing but the installed base of iOS and Apple's scope for integration is a considerable advantage". It will not block the ads themselves, though.