Apple's Echo rival could make Siri the master of your home

Amazon is sitting pretty on top of the smart home with its Alexa voice-controlled Echo devices, and Google will close in later this year with its own Home assistant device. While iOS 10's much-needed Home app for controlling all your HomeKit-compatible smart home devices is a step in the right direction, the company may need an Echo rival of its own. Apple is reportedly working on an Echo-like smart home device according to Bloomberg. This report corroborates a earlier one from The Information earlier this year that Apple was developing its own Echo-like product based around Siri. Siri could also have the ability to read aloud emails, send messages and tweets, etc. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, who is notorious for accurately leaking new Apple products ahead of their announcements, says Apple has been working on the Echo competitor for over two years. The project is moving along and in the prototype phase, but could be potentially killed.