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Cited features (voice-activated home functions, appliance control) similar to Amazon's (NASDAQ:AMZN +0.3%) Alexa-powered Echo.
- Facial recognition capabilities also claimed. Apple (AAPL -0.3%) has previously acquired facial-expression technology companies Emotient (January 2016) and Faceshift (November 2015).
- Nothing is confirmed or finalized, however, with the project reportedly having just moved on from the research and development lab to prototype testing.
- Nonetheless, a development this way would signal entry into an entirely new hardware category for the company and bring it in line to compete with products already offered by Amazon (Echo) and those in the works at Alphabet (GOOG, GOOGL) [Google Home].