Apple executive Phil Schiller revealed he is not a fan of the Amazon Echo or Google Home smart speakers.
A top Apple executive revealed he is not a fan of either Amazon ‘s Echo or Google Home’s speakers, amid speculation that the company could be releasing its own rival product.
In a recent interview with Gadgets 360, Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of worldwide marketing, took a dig at the devices—which have voice assistants built in.
“My mother used to have a saying that if you don’t have something nice to say, say nothing at all, ” Schiller said.
Home and Echo both allow users to speak to them and get responses, or carry out “smart home” tasks like managing the thermostat and ensuring security.
Apple has yet to release its own product, but a noted analyst recently said that the company is working on a device to rival Amazon and Google.
“There is an over 50 percent chance that Apple will announce its first home AI product at WWDC in June, ” KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said in a note. WWDC is Apple’s annual developers conference.
Schiller did however give his thoughts on Siri, Apple’s own voice assistant, and acknowledged that there are situations where a screen would not be needed.
“For example, if you’re driving (and) you want Siri to work for you without having to look at the screen, that’s the best thing, ” Schiller said to Gadgets 360. “Or maybe you’re across the room, and you want to ask Siri to change the song you were listening to – you don’t have to walk over and back (and you can use Siri instead) .”
He added that while a voice assistant is “really beneficial” at times, having access to a touch screen device was still essential.
“So the idea of not having a screen, I don’t think suits many situations, ” the executive told the publication.
“For example if I’m looking for directions and I’m using Maps, Siri can tell me those directions by voice and that’s really convenient but it’s even better if I can see that map, and I can see what turns are coming up, and I can see where there is congestion, I understand better my route, and what I’m going to do, ” Schiller said.
Read the full Gadgets 360 interview here.
