The HomePod, which will be released in December and cost $349, was unveiled at Apple’s annual developer conference in San Jose, where the company also unveiled new software features and hardware upgrades.
The HomePod speaker can adapt its sound based on the size and shape of a room, Apple said
The speaker is powered by Apple’s virtual assistant software, Siri. As well as playing music, it can respond to spoken commands to send text messages, check the news or control smart home devices.
Updates to the iPhone’s operating system included a money transfer service that allows users to send cash to one another, the latest in Apple’s move into financial services after the launch of Apple Pay.
Apple created additional features in iOS 11 designed for the iPad.
The company overhauled the App Store and its Apple Music streaming service and improved its Siri assistant with features such as language translation.
Apple updated its range of iMac computers with a power boost that gives them virtual reality capabilities, as well as refreshing its line of MacBook laptops with faster processors.
Apple also unveiled a new version of the iPad Pro, its high-powered tablet, with a slimmer design and a 10.5-inch screen, a third size option in addition to the 12.9-inch and 9.7-inch versions already on the market. Apple is promoting the iPad Pro as a potential laptop replacement as it seeks to reverse falling sales of the tablet. Last night, it also updated the iPad iOS operating system with computer-grade features such as a PC-style file system.
A new version of the Apple Watch software will centre on the wearable device’s exercise capabilities and artificial intelligence, and updates to the Mac computer software included changes to its Safari web browser that limited how advertisers could track users across websites.
