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Apple could supercharge its efforts with an Echo-like device that ties everything together. "It is inevitable," Dave Friedman, CEO of Ayla Networks, said about Apple creating an Echo competitor. "All the big guys compete with each other. Google has Nest, Amazon has Alexa and Apple has Siri. And Siri is already a cornerstone of HomeKit, and it will get into lots more stuff." Friedman, whose company helps manufacturers create Internet-connected appliances, said he had no direct knowledge of whether Apple could be working on an Echo competitor but sees voice expanding into more products. While some expect Apple to build its own version of an Echo smart speaker, the company may stay focused on the software side and Siri. Apple will likely talk about more HomeKit features at its developers conference in June, including newly supported appliances and possible ways the software could work better with the Apple TV. Apple declined to comment on the prospect of a smart speaker.