Facebook, the world's largest social media company, is rumoured to be working on its own voice-controlled digital assistant integrated into a home speaker, due for release next year.
A report from Taiwan's Digitimes states Facebook's Building 8 research group is developing a speaker that will feature a large 15-inch touch-screen, according to sources in the supply chain.
The large screen would differentiate it from current devices and allow users to video-call each other through the Facebook app.
Other reports claim it is also developing a simpler, smaller speaker that will have no visual input and be controlled by voice, similar to other players in the home speaker market, such as Amazon's Echo, Google Home and Apple's HomePod.
Facebook has declined to comment on hardware rumours.
None of the devices are currently officially available in SA. The speakers, operated by a virtual personal assistant (VPA), allow users to ask questions like: "What is the weather like in Johannesburg today?" or issue instructions like: "Switch off all the inside lights."
The VPA then either searches the Web to answer the question, or performs the task via connected home devices. Other uses include playing music, managing calendars and activities, setting reminders, checking traffic, and delivering the latest news.
It is not yet clear which VPA will be built into the device, and if Facebook will develop its own.
However, a report by Bloomberg states Facebook has hired ex-Apple employees to help the social network develop its own VPA, like Apple's Siri.
The company does have VPA experience. In 2015, it tested a personal digital assistant called "M" within its Messenger service that was a hybrid of artificial intelligence (AI) and human help.
Last year, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg introduced "Jarvis", an AI system that he created in his spare time, which can choose and play music, turn on lights and recognise visitors, deciding whether to open the front door.
The products are expected to be announced at the Facebook F8 developer conference in Q2 2018.
Facebook was previously only a software business, debuting the Oculus headset through its virtual reality company.
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