There are benefits to Apple, Google and Amazon for going in on smart speakers even if the speakers themselves lose money. They lock you into an ecosphere. Amazon especially gets people to buy stuff using Alexa. Those purchases likely don’t get measured to offset the cost of the device.
In Google’s case, the additional data that they sell from “hearing” transient conversation also doesn’t get recorded in the balance sheet for their devices.
Apple Siri wants to make sure Apple users have an Apple version of the product and as part of an Apple lifestyle that all make money (e.g. credit cards, watches, phones, pads, iTunes, App Store, etc.)
Yep Business 101 or it should be.