Apple's New $299 HomePod Spells Headache For Amazon, Google But Could Potentially Save Your Life

Apple Inc. AAPL has unveiled its second-generation HomePod after discontinuing the original in 2021, and this device could potentially strengthen its position against rivals Amazon Inc. AMZN and Alphabet Inc. GOOG GOOGL in the home space category while simultaneously saving lives.

What Happened: The new Apple HomePod comes with Siri and advanced computational audio, including Spatial Audio tracks. It can also send notifications if smoke or carbon monoxide alarms are detected in a user's home. 

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The big HomePod is integrated with a Sound Recognition feature that can listen to such alarms and send notifications directly to the user's iPhone, according to the tech giant.  

This second-generation smart speaker can also check the temperature and humidity in a room without needing manual assistance. 

The device is now available to order online for $299 and will be widely available starting Feb. 3. 

Why It's Important: Other than the newly launched HomePod, the Tim Cook-led company is working on a new low-end iPad with abilities like thermostats and lights for smart home control, reported Bloomberg, citing people with knowledge of the development. 

The Cupertino-based company has yielded much of the home space market share to its rivals Amazon and Google. Additionally, Siri's voice-control service is significantly behind the functionality of Amazon's Alexa and Google Assistant. 

The aforementioned new devices, along with upcoming updates in Siri are aimed at turning the table for Apple in the smart home space, the report noted.

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Photo courtesy: Apple