According to forecasts of KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple will present a clever column on June 5 at WWDC 17. This device, he said, will be equipped with a touch-sensitive control panel. Kuo did not specify what kind of panel it was - a full touchscreen or touch buttons that could, for example, adjust the volume.

Earlier, Apple's vice president of marketing Phil Schiller said that to perform many actions, smart speakers need a screen. He did not comment on the release of Apple's new product, but simply expressed his opinion on this category of devices.

According to rumors, Apple began to create a smart column in 2014 immediately after the release of the HomeKit platform. Similar devices are in Amazon, Google, and more recently - from Microsoft and Harman / Kardon. Column Apple works with artificial intelligence Siri and is equipped with a surround sound system based on seven speakers, as well as a camera that can recognize users and determine their mood. Externally, it looks like a smaller copy of Mac Pro. In testing the columns of Apple, several employees of the company are participating - they are installed in their homes.