Apple unveils its intelligent and powerful speaker, HomePod

Over the past couple of years, companies have invested heavily in developing their own interpretation of a smart speaker. While a majority are powered by a powerful platform, according to Apple, they lack the "boom" necessary to properly immerse an area with high-quality audio. Seeing this gap, Apple wanted to make a device that combines a quality home speaker that sounds good, with the power of a smart device capable of handling complex interactions. Today, the firm offered a sneak peek of its interpretation of a smart speaker, the HomePod.

The HomePod sits at just under seven inches tall and is covered in a mesh fabric. While it might have a small footprint, Apple made the most of its interior by cramming in an array of seven tweeters, that offers directional control of the audio. There is also a four-inch woofer that provides depth with bass equalization.

One of the key aspects that Apple pushed during its presentation was the speaker's spatial awareness. The speaker can understand where the speaker is placed and make the most of the environment to produce the best sound possible. It can break down different types of sounds and project them in a manner that will bolster the audio that is broadcast. If a single speaker isn't enough and you want more sound, you can purchase two units and pair them.

The HomePod relies on Apple's A8 processor that harnesses the power of Siri. The digital assistant can respond to simple queries, but can actually also interpret questions about the music being played to educate a listener about their favorite songs. Along with its ability to play music, the speaker can also become your home assistant. While the team is looking to expand its capabilities, the HomePod will initially be able to perform a wealth of different actions and will also connect to HomeKit for an even more powerful experience.

Apple's Home Pod will cost $349 and will arrive in December to those in the United States, UK, and Australia - before expanding to other parts of the world. The speaker will come in a choice of two colors: White and Space Gray.