Meanwhile, Apple is building up an ecosystem of voice-connected devices, which is well positioned to corner off a swath of the voice market. While each of the other major tech companies are working toward boosting the adoption of their voice assistants through connected speakers and smartphone apps, Apple is likely banking on its heavily integrated ecosystem to drive the adoption and usage of Siri. For instance, Apple integrated Siri into the iPhone, Apple Watch, Apple TV, Mac, Airpods, as well as the upcoming HomePod. Currently, Siri is accessed on more than 375 million Apple devices across 36 countries on a monthly basis. And a vast ecosystem of connected devices will help to increase Siri's reach and dominance in the voice assistant landscape.

This story was delivered to BI Intelligence Apps and Platforms Briefing subscribers. To learn more and subscribe, please click here. Apple, Amazon, Microsoft, and Google are expanding their efforts to capture a greater foothold in the voice assistant landscape. As voice becomes an increasingly important tool for how consumers engage with devices -- by 2020, the voice assistant device base is expected to grow to more than 7 billion, up from 4 billion in 2017 -- it will be crucial for these firms to solidify their place in the market. Here's how each tech behemoth is stepping up the competition: Meanwhile, Apple is building up an ecosystem of voice-connected devices, which is well positioned to corner off a swath of the voice market.

This story was delivered to BI Intelligence Apps and Platforms Briefing subscribers. To learn more and subscribe, please click here. At its annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in San Jose, California, on Monday, Apple offered a first look at iOS 11, the next iteration of its OS. The upcoming updates are focused largely on technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning, that make it easier for users to interact with their devices. The voice assistant, which reaches 375 million monthly active users globally, will be the overarching interface that ties together Apple's multiple operating systems: iOS, macOS, tvOS, and watchOS. Siri is being supercharged with deep-learning capabilities, meaning it can change intonations to sound more expressive and natural; it can also translate from English into several other languages.