HomePod is no match for Alexa. Is Apple losing the smart speaker plot?

The war for your digital home is waging. Apple has finally followed Amazon, Google and Microsoft by launching a smart speaker with a voice-controlled artificial intelligence assistant. Yet even though the “HomePod” is another technological marvel, there’s a chance Apple is already losing the battle.

The competition isn’t just through the sound quality of the speaker – but the other things that users can do with it. The most common requests to AI personal assistants such as Apple’s Siri are reportedly to play music, read the weather forecast and set timers or reminders.

But the capabilities of these assistants are increasing at lightning speed. This doesn’t just rely on the sophistication of the artificial intelligence involved but also what other technology the assistant can link to. And given Apple’s tendency to reject open connections to other company’s systems, it may find it has some serious catching up to do.

Amazon Echo's shorter, slimmer model to take on Apple HomePod

Aiming to regain the top spot in smart speaker space, Amazon is reportedly working on a new flagship Echo speaker that will be slimmer and better than its predecessor.

According to a report in Engadget, the updated model will be "shorter and slimmer", akin to three or four stacked Echo Dots.

The move is seen as Amazon's attempt to better Apple HomePod that was launched in its Worldwide Developers Conference in June.

The new Echo would offer better sound using several tweeters instead of just one -- similar to the HomePod that will sport seven tweeters when it ships this December.

Amazon is also planning to improve Echo's microphone technology as well as the design.

If Amazon can stick to a $180 price tag, it will retain at least one advantage over the HomePod, which will sell for $349, the report said.