Apple prototyping Amazon- like Echo device

Amazon’s Echo took home automation hub by storm. It appears Apple does not want be left behind and the company is constantly striving towards developing its own version of an Echo- like smart device based on its Siri voice assistant, reports Bloomberg. The project, however, began over two years ago and is currently under prototype testing. The smart device is especially being designed to control appliances, locks, lights and curtains via voice. Moreover, in an attempt to develop something different from Echo and Google Home, some of the prototypes even contain facial recognition sensors to help the device to act based on who is in the room or on the person's emotional state. Apple is also considering integrating mapping information into the speaker ( in collaboration with a California- based hardware company, Cupertino and the Siri team) thereby, allowing the user to be notified regarding an appointment or any event that they have manually set up. The project isn't finalized as yet and the possibilities of it being scrapped still remain.