I feel like 'evil' is a pretty strong adjective to use here when talking about the wording in a press release.

Speaker is the standard term. Amazon describes the Echo Dot as a "Smart speaker with Alexa". And this is how Apple describes the HomePod:

"HomePod is a breakthrough speaker that adapts to its location and delivers high-fidelity audio wherever it’s playing. Together with Apple Music and Siri, it creates an entirely new way for you to discover and interact with music at home. And it can help you and your whole family with everyday tasks — and control your smart home — all with just your voice."

[1] https://www.amazon.com/Echo-Dot/dp/B07FZ8S74R

[2] https://www.apple.com/homepod/

I wasn't commenting on "speaker" per se. Just observing what happens, a bit at a time, when an advertising company swallows a product company.

Also, just generally shared it in case skimmer types missed that.