[Technology] Anyone ordered the Apple HomePod?

[Green Cross Code Man]

Wow, that is a big negative, so I could only play iTunes music that I have bought unless I subscribe to Apple Music? I’m out!

Seems to be from what I have read since you started this thread. Big mistake.

 

[Bold Seagull]

One thing I would love if the Homepod does it, is to be able to network connect (not bluetooth) from an iPad or iPhone and play the sound of a streaming video service through the Homepod speaker. So if you were watching Netflix, Prime, iPlayer etc. on your device, you could send the sound from the device to the speaker. You can't do this with Sonos or Echo.

 

[Green Cross Code Man]

One thing I would love if the Homepod does it, is to be able to network connect (not bluetooth) from an iPad or iPhone and play the sound of a streaming video service through the Homepod speaker. So if you were watching Netflix, Prime, iPlayer etc. on your device, you could send the sound from the device to the speaker. You can't do this with Sonos or Echo.

You can do this with Google Home. It works well with music but not so well streaming from Netflix, I just tried Star Trek Discovery, and the sound whilst good, was hopelessly out of time with the video. I don't think Bluetooth is quick enough.

 

[indy3050]

£319, seems expensive in comparison to a Bose Soundbox. All reviews welcome once it arrives on 09 Feb

I like Apple stuff.

Android users who hate everything Apple with a vengeance need not respond because I already know what you’ll be saying


https://www.apple.com/uk/homepod/

I won’t buy it, purely because Apple will probably slow it down in 3 years like they have my iPhone 6 the dirty ****ers (I’m an Apple fanboy too)

 

[Easy 10]

Not sure an Echo is fair comparison, and I say that as someone with one in my view right now.

The more appropriate comparison would be the Sonos 1 (with Alexa) which is £199.00.

So, is the Homepod 1.5 times better than the Sonos 1? I have no idea. But even as a devout Apple man in a house full of Apple kit, my investment in Sonos is already such that it would have to make something pretty compelling to make me considering changing.

Audio quality is unlikely to be the driver for that as we're not audiophiles. Whilst the Echo is not really suitable for home music, the Sonos speakers we have are perfectly adequate for us.

(And speakers can cost many tens of thousands of pounds - I'm not sure that their quality over the Echo is in direct comparison to the price differential)

I've always been very happy with the sound quality on the Echo. Decent base and depth, lovely and clear, but as you say, I'm not an audiophile / nerd so I'm sure there is better out there for those with a more refined ear, and the Apple will probably cater for that. Plus half the time I'm listening on my blutooth headphones anyway. But if the functionality is pretty much the same, except it ties you in to an Apple subscription, and its x4 the price, then...mmmnah.

 

[Bozza]

I've always been very happy with the sound quality on the Echo. Decent base and depth, lovely and clear, but as you say, I'm not an audiophile / nerd so I'm sure there is better out there for those with a more refined ear, and the Apple will probably cater for that. Plus half the time I'm listening on my blutooth headphones anyway. But if the functionality is pretty much the same, except it ties you in to an Apple subscription, and its x4 the price, then...mmmnah.

There is a significant difference between the Echo and the Sonos 1 we have (which is now the £149 version I believe) in terms of audio quality. It's not even close.

 

[seagulls4ever]

As a committed Google user, but not really into hating Apple anymore, I will be very interested in how this pans out. Amazon and Google are streets ahead in both presence on the market and in information. Alexa is great for Home automation and Google is fast catching up, but Apple has limited data compared to Amazon (shopping) and Google (everything). Siri is also way way behind Alexa as a virtual assistant and Alexa is itself far behind Google assistant in terms of ease of use, friendliness and info available.

It will be fascinating to see who ends up on top. My money in the short term would be on Amazon but I think Google is investing a LOT in Google Home and is rapidly catching up with an already superior product. It reminds me of the early Apple/Android days when Apple was clearly superior but Android made up the ground after a couple years.

I was going to post something similar. Apple is already far behind Google and Amazon, with no chance of catching up because it doesn't have the necessary data. Although it has recently purchased Shazam so that it has access to more data about how people listen to music.

I think the only people this is going to appeal to is Apple fanboys. In the long run, Apple isn't going to be a major player in the home assistant market, I don't think.

 

[StonehamPark]

I was going to post something similar. Apple is already far behind Google and Amazon, with no chance of catching up because it doesn't have the necessary data. Although it has recently purchased Shazam so that it has access to more data about how people listen to music.

I think the only people this is going to appeal to is Apple fanboys. In the long run, Apple isn't going to be a major player in the home assistant market, I don't think.

I think, in the long run, Apple are going to lose their current place in the market.
In this years lineup is a rumoured 'budget' iPhone X with an LCD screen and fewer features than the current X. Priced at around 700.00 ish.

 

[Bozza]

I was going to post something similar. Apple is already far behind Google and Amazon, with no chance of catching up because it doesn't have the necessary data. Although it has recently purchased Shazam so that it has access to more data about how people listen to music.

I think the only people this is going to appeal to is Apple fanboys. In the long run, Apple isn't going to be a major player in the home assistant market, I don't think.

Don't underestimate the Apple fanboy market. It never ceases to amaze me when I'm in the US how many people are wearing an Apple Watch, which means they have an iPhone in their pocket.

That said, Apple have sort of boxed themselves into a corner on this. They've long made a big deal of differentiating their approach to privacy to Google's. Apple don't read your emails, your calendar and your search history, amongst other things. Google do, and need to, so they can serve you context-relevant ads. Google do, essentially, sell your data to whoever wants it in order they can advertise to you.

As things have evolved, the tech that Google built to be the advertising behemoth it is, turns out to also be very good at personal assistant type stuff as they know a huge amount about their users.

As you say, Apple have intentionally not done this. They haven't needed to deep dive into the data of their users because, by and large, Apple aren't selling their users to advertisers. That leaves them in a tricky position for personal assistant functionality - the stuff that lies beyond basic voice recognition and obeying simple commands.

 

[Hendrax]

Apple will never learn that people want freedom with their very expensive devices.

Apple are trying to hold onto something that worked when they were the only player.

 

[LamieRobertson]

There is a significant difference between the Echo and the Sonos 1 we have (which is now the £149 version I believe) in terms of audio quality. It's not even close.

And you don't need a refined ear to tell the difference ...one of the things i don't use my echo for is music

 

[tinx]

The fact I can't use it with Spotify means I am out.

Already invested in Sonos, with Alexa dots around the house anyway.

 

[Bozza]

Some early hands-on stuff coming out.

"Recently, though, I heard Apple’s HomePod again in a variety of scenarios and spaces. It sounded even better, especially when compared to larger Google Home Max and the aurally excellent Sonos One, the HomePod’s separation of sounds and fidelity to original instrumentation is astonishing."

"What Apple has here is an ultra-high-quality speaker and the first physical instantiation of Siri without a screen. The fact that Apple is finally entering the smart speaker race is cause for muted celebration. It’s attractive, sounds amazing and is an excellent Siri ambassador. And it’s $349. Is better sound and solid iOS integration (plus the added cost of an Apple Music subscription) worth spending nearly four times as much as a decent sounding Echo?"


https://medium.com/@LanceUlanoff/up-close-with-apple-homepod-siris-expensive-new-home-22f1ee0e682

 

[narly101]

Ordered in Space Grey - cannot. wait.

 

[RandyWanger]

Massive Apple fan boy here, but I've not felt the need to 'upgrade' from my sonos play 1. Talking to my speakers doesn't interest me and when I've been to peoples houses who have Alexa, they just look like cocks when she mugs them off and ignores what they're saying

 

[Bozza]

Massive Apple fan boy here, but I've not felt the need to 'upgrade' from my sonos play 1. Talking to my speakers doesn't interest me and when I've been to peoples houses who have Alexa, they just look like cocks when she mugs them off and ignores what they're saying

We use our Echo to voice control the Sonoses (?) if we feel so inclined.

 

[clippedgull]

If I hadn't invested in my Sonos Kit I may have bitten and taken a HomePod on a 14 day trial period.

I see Sonos have come out fighting and are offering a bundle of two Sonos Ones for £349.

 

[Nitram]

Have loads of Apple products but struggling to see where this fits in. As a sound box it’s quite a good price if it’s any good as long as it’s high end although I would probably go for a Niam Muso. As a control system for home use like Alexa seems too expensive. Big draw back as it’s doesnt support Spotify. Although I would play that through my hi fi system.
Not a fan of Sonos but I suppose that’s where this may be aimed. Think it falls between too many stools.

 

[LamieRobertson]

We use our Echo to voice control the Sonoses (?) if we feel so inclined.

Will you be inviting Randy round?

 

[Sorrel]

I was wrong about it only supporting Apple Music subscription, see; https://www.imore.com/how-homepod-works-apple-music-itunes-match-icloud-music-library-airplay-and-flac-files