Can someone remind me, why has Apple announced a product 6 months before its estimated launch date?
The context should give you a clue -- the World Wide Developer's Conference. To start as strongly as possible, this needs to have software that works with it. That doesn't happen overnight.
Software, yes but I'm not sure how developers fit into the plan. Every feature Apple announced regarding HomePod either Siri already does through third parties or Apple is doing directly with Siri.
Well just thinking this through as a large AAPL investor, this means 66% would rather or might buy the Apple device which probably has dramatically higher profit margin (just a guess based on every Apple product out her versus the so called competition). So this seems awesome compared with smart phone sales versus profit data where Apple takes >90% of the profit with <%20 sales?
Color me enthusiastic about another late entry Apple product that will cream the profits.
You hit it right on the head, Apple doesn't need the huge numbers of sales to make tons of money on this product, and it's not aimed at masses anyway.
Selling fewer items at a higher price is what Apple is all about, and when the product does actually sell in the higher volumes (think iPhone, iPod, iPad, etc), then Apple does "extra primo good."
If I were a shareholder I'd be excited. It won't become their top revenue product, but who cares if it adds good numbers to their overall profit just as I'm sure the Watch is doing right now (and the mini, and the ATV and the post-life years of the iPod, and and and).
You would think that Apple entering a new product category would translate to great future earnings potential to Wall Street but they don't think that way. Apple's iPhone success has cursed them. Wall street investors are only looking for huge short term gains. It is impossible for Apple to ever enter any product category that will match iPhone's growth and success. Investors are much more likely to hold off or even sell their AAPL stock and instead invest on a much smaller tech company throwing shit against the wall because the potential return on investment is much greater and faster.
I'm getting one if it sounds as great as Apple is claiming. If it doesn't have no intention of getting Alexa or otherwise. Also Apple is pushing this as an audio device moreso than a home assistant. So different customer base I would think. Fall will tell who gets it. IMO these early surveys are all about click bait.
Betting we'll see pro and mini versions eventually to address different segments of the market.
Bring on the Pro! I'll buy a couple.
Funny thing for me is, after 20 years of them being in storage I dug out my Nightingale NM1 speakers and Quad power and pre amp a few weeks ago (reflex cabinets; KEF B139, Peerless mid-rage and Isophon tweeters with amazing crossover hardware) as we moved to a larger house and finally had room again for them. It is amazing to hear them after all these years. I'd actually forgotten what Hi-Fi sounded like. They are massive and weigh ton each and take up a lot of space. Now I think I really must hear these new Apple thingies.
Surround ruined everything. Where the hell am I supposed to put FIVE B&W 801s? (As if I could afford ONE, much less five!)
Just do yourself a favour and don't listen to it immediately after coming home from the symphony. It will destroy your enjoyment of recorded music for weeks, maybe months.
Are you seriously telling me that when you go to a concert you don't sit in the middle of the orchestra?
Betting we'll see pro and mini versions eventually to address different segments of the market.
Bring on the Pro! I'll buy a couple.
Funny thing for me is, after 20 years of them being in storage I dug out my Nightingale NM1 speakers and Quad power and pre amp a few weeks ago (reflex cabinets; KEF B139, Peerless mid-rage and Isophon tweeters with amazing crossover hardware) as we moved to a larger house and finally had room again for them. It is amazing to hear them after all these years. I'd actually forgotten what Hi-Fi sounded like. They are massive and weigh ton each and take up a lot of space. Now I think I really must hear these new Apple thingies.
Surround ruined everything. Where the hell am I supposed to put FIVE B&W 801s? (As if I could afford ONE, much less five!)
Just do yourself a favour and don't listen to it immediately after coming home from the symphony. It will destroy your enjoyment of recorded music for weeks, maybe months.
Are you seriously telling me that when you go to a concert you don't sit in the middle of the orchestra?
the resident Googler is out running around shitting false information again, ffs.
Rather than vaguely making it sound like you might know something be more direct and point out what that person posted that's false. We should all strive to post accurate info and encourage correction of it when it isn't, right?
(EDIT: Crickets....)
Forgive me if bedtime take priority over your false claim that Google isn't selling away your privacy, we've been through this before and you never responded to my posts detailing how you are so totally wrong about Google. Most here already know how silly your insistence about Google is (certainly, though, it's really doubtful they come here to hear them, but hey, it's the blogosphere and negative nellies and corporate shills take the place alongside people actually wanting to engage in an honest discussion of Apple products).
The bigger irony here is the post directly below addressed your false claims, which you also ignored.
MY false claims? Hardly. None of the home assistants are "listening" for anything but the keyword it was programmed to recognize, exactly as I said. But you want to claim that some of these Home Assistants are listening and transcribing your conversations with the kids about their school-day and recording your love-making in the bedroom and that I'm lying about these evil deeds going on? LOL.
That yet another poster would like to tell everyone they're always recording and transcribing everything said in your home is what is false and the very epitome of FUD, but that's what your accusation of me posting falsehoods is based on? If not just what is you DO believe about Home Assistants and when and what they're listening to?
Wasn't an Amazon Echo just involved in a murder case earlier this year. Apparently it is always recording or "listening" for it's wake word "Alexa" when not in use. So the DA asked to sequester the recording from Amazon.
I don't recall there being anything that confirmed they were recording all the time. Did you read something that claimed they actually did? AFAIK it was a fishing expedition to discover if there was anything of value in the searches the owner did, not an expectation of there being hidden recordings. Ever read any stories of some law enforcement agency demanding Apple produce something that Apple says they don't actually possess? I'm sure you have.
If there was any evidence that any of these Home Assistants were always recording it would be a bombshell and reported everywhere! ...and a kiss of death for that product. The fact that it was not reported that there are or were any recordings would be support for there NOT being 24/7 collection of every conversation, hiccup or moan. It ain't happenin'.
But if you're just one of those really distrustful types and believe that one of the companies would dig their own product grave to surreptitiously record you in all your private moments, or that they are incapable of securing the data you've entrusted with them from hackers or governments spies I would suggest keeping all the phone assistants turned off and not placing an Echo, Homepod, or Google Home in your living spaces.
I'm certain there is a slice of the public that has a fear of this and would never consider one of the new Home Assistants period.
I added the original link for the sake of conversation not to attack or be attacked. Also if you saw my first post on this very thread you would have known that I am interested in the Homepod for myself , so NO I am not one of the distrustful types as you put.
I am am also not a foxnews type either the article I attached for the sake of conversation happens to be from foxnews tech.
the resident Googler is out running around shitting false information again, ffs.
Rather than vaguely making it sound like you might know something be more direct and point out what that person posted that's false. We should all strive to post accurate info and encourage correction of it when it isn't, right?
(EDIT: Crickets....)
Forgive me if bedtime take priority over your false claim that Google isn't selling away your privacy, we've been through this before and you never responded to my posts detailing how you are so totally wrong about Google. Most here already know how silly your insistence about Google is (certainly, though, it's really doubtful they come here to hear them, but hey, it's the blogosphere and negative nellies and corporate shills take the place alongside people actually wanting to engage in an honest discussion of Apple products).
The bigger irony here is the post directly below addressed your false claims, which you also ignored.
MY false claims? Hardly. None of the home assistants are "listening" for anything but the keyword it was programmed to recognize, exactly as I said. But you want to claim that some of these Home Assistants are listening and transcribing your conversations with the kids about their school-day and recording your love-making in the bedroom and that I'm lying about these evil deeds going on? LOL.
That yet another poster would like to tell everyone they're always recording and transcribing everything said in your home is what is false and the very epitome of FUD, but that's what your accusation of me posting falsehoods is based on? If not just what is you DO believe about Home Assistants and when and what they're listening to?
Wasn't an Amazon Echo just involved in a murder case earlier this year. Apparently it is always recording or "listening" for it's wake word "Alexa" when not in use. So the DA asked to sequester the recording from Amazon.
I don't recall there being anything that confirmed they were recording all the time. Did you read something that claimed they actually did? AFAIK it was a fishing expedition to discover if there was anything of value in the searches the owner did, not an expectation of there being hidden recordings. Ever read any stories of some law enforcement agency demanding Apple produce something that Apple says they don't actually possess? I'm sure you have.
If there was any evidence that any of these Home Assistants were always recording it would be a bombshell and reported everywhere! ...and a kiss of death for that product. The fact that it was not reported that there are or were any recordings would be support for there NOT being 24/7 collection of every conversation, hiccup or moan. It ain't happenin'.
But if you're just one of those really distrustful types and believe that one of the companies would dig their own product grave to surreptitiously record you in all your private moments, or that they are incapable of securing the data you've entrusted with them from hackers or governments spies I would suggest keeping all the phone assistants turned off and not placing an Echo, Homepod, or Google Home in your living spaces.
I'm certain there is a slice of the public that has a fear of this and would never consider one of the new Home Assistants period.
I added the original link for the sake of conversation not to attack or be attacked. Also if you saw my first post on this very thread you would have known that I am interested in the Homepod for myself , so NO I am not one of the distrustful types as you put.
I am am also not a foxnews type either the article I attached for the sake of conversation happens to be from foxnews tech.
My response wasn't so much for your sake but instead for sometimes lazy readers who seize on the headline to proclaim to their Echo owning friends "OMG, don't you know Amazon is recording everything you say!"
Impossible to stay ahead of the FUD, especially with vested interests making implications themselves for competitive/marketing reasons, but at least here on an intelligent technically-oriented site we should all try to avoid feeding into it. We shouldn't act as clueless and uneducated as a typical Verge poster right?
My response wasn't so much for your sake but instead for sometimes lazy readers who seize on the headline to proclaim to their Echo owning friends "OMG, don't you know Amazon is recording everything you say!"
Impossible to stay ahead of the FUD, especially with vested interests making implications themselves for competitive/marketing reasons, but at least here on an intelligent technically-oriented site we should all try to avoid feeding into it. We shouldn't act as clueless and uneducated as a typical Verge poster right
It'll be interesting to see the same people against this technology being first to order a HomePod. I guess by then they'll understand the difference between listening for a wake word waveform and recording what you're saying.
I would be curious to read an article on what ratio of people are simply waiting for Apple to get Siri's voice recognition shit together before considering using it on any Apple device. Really, Siri is the least used feature on my iPhone, Apple Watch and Apple TV and the last thing I need is a dedicated device that fails to understand me, whatever the price point. Somehow, in a frustrating manner, year over year, Apple fails to understand that they need to fix Siri's voice recognition. Google and Amazon aside, but when even Microsoft's Cortana has better voice recognition than Siri... I think we have a problem.
I would be curious to read an article on what ratio of people are simply waiting for Apple to get Siri's voice recognition shit together before considering using it on any Apple device. Really, Siri is the least used feature on my iPhone, Apple Watch and Apple TV and the last thing I need is a dedicated device that fails to understand me, whatever the price point. Somehow, in a frustrating manner, year over year, Apple fails to understand that they need to fix Siri's voice recognition. Google and Amazon aside, but when even Microsoft's Cortana has better voice recognition than Siri... I think we have a problem.
You know the only place I hear that is on forums like this (ironically). Talking to real people who have Alexa/Google and Siri, that's a bunch of shit, Siri is the only one that gets things right, and not only that, but Siri understands the context better and provides better information than replacing your typing the same thing in a simple Google search.
I would be curious to read an article on what ratio of people are simply waiting for Apple to get Siri's voice recognition shit together before considering using it on any Apple device. Really, Siri is the least used feature on my iPhone, Apple Watch and Apple TV and the last thing I need is a dedicated device that fails to understand me, whatever the price point. Somehow, in a frustrating manner, year over year, Apple fails to understand that they need to fix Siri's voice recognition. Google and Amazon aside, but when even Microsoft's Cortana has better voice recognition than Siri... I think we have a problem.
You know the only place I hear that is on forums like this (ironically). Talking to real people who have Alexa/Google and Siri, that's a bunch of shit, Siri is the only one that gets things right, and not only that, but Siri understands the context better and provides better information than replacing your typing the same thing in a simple Google search.
Apple is promoting HomePod for the sound, a very smart marketing move while Siri matures. I suspect 10 years from now there will be little practical difference in the effectiveness of the various "assistants".
williamlondon said: [...] Talking to real people who have Alexa/Google and Siri, that's a bunch of shit, Siri is the only one that gets things right, and not only that, but Siri understands the context better and provides better information than replacing your typing the same thing in a simple Google search.
That hasn't been my experience.
I have all Apple stuff. My daughter has an Android phone. I mock her for that, mercilessly.
Recently we went on a day trip together, and her Google-assisted phone was both faster and better than my iPhone 6 at answering questions, playing music, finding destinations, and giving directions. I was really surprised.
I would be curious to read an article on what ratio of people are simply waiting for Apple to get Siri's voice recognition shit together before considering using it on any Apple device. Really, Siri is the least used feature on my iPhone, Apple Watch and Apple TV and the last thing I need is a dedicated device that fails to understand me, whatever the price point. Somehow, in a frustrating manner, year over year, Apple fails to understand that they need to fix Siri's voice recognition. Google and Amazon aside, but when even Microsoft's Cortana has better voice recognition than Siri... I think we have a problem.
You know the only place I hear that is on forums like this (ironically). Talking to real people who have Alexa/Google and Siri, that's a bunch of shit, Siri is the only one that gets things right, and not only that, but Siri understands the context better and provides better information than replacing your typing the same thing in a simple Google search.
I wish that would be the case, but it's not. My family (of 3) lives in an Apple ecosystem, we have iPhones, iPads, Apple TVs, MacBooks and iMacs, so you could call me a bit of a fanboy. For everything except Siri. To put it nicely, Siri is shit! I don't use Alexa (I have a FireTV that I haven't used in years) so I can't compare with Alexa, but I use Google Assistant in iOS and Google Home and they just understand a lot more in two ways: (1) the accuracy of the words understood is significantly greater, and (2) the understanding of the context is significantly greater. I just find Siri (on any device) impossible to use, and I cannot see how Home Pod (which would feel great into my ecosystem), would make a difference until Apple fixes Siri. Until then it's the same shit inside a likely amazing speaker.
Apple is promoting HomePod for the sound, a very smart marketing move while Siri matures. I suspect 10 years from now there will be little practical difference in the effectiveness of the various "assistants".
I love the way you put this - "while Siri matures" - and I agree 100%. Sadly, Siri came out more than 6 1/2 years ago (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siri) and hasn't improved much. In the meantime Google, Amazon and even Microsoft just flew by.
Apple is promoting HomePod for the sound, a very smart marketing move while Siri matures. I suspect 10 years from now there will be little practical difference in the effectiveness of the various "assistants".
I love the way you put this - "while Siri matures" - and I agree 100%. Sadly, Siri came out more than 6 1/2 years ago (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siri) and hasn't improved much. In the meantime Google, Amazon and even Microsoft just flew by.
It hasn't? How are quantifying that? I could create tests that could show Siri not changing at all to changing dramatically since it's first release as an Apple Service, but that would only show those specific metrics. That's because it's very difficult to gauge how Siri as a whole has evolved in terms of its speech recognition, its ability to correctly convert to the correct spelling of a homonym (contextual), its ability to proper analyze a query or statement (regardless of whether it can answer it), its database of available information, the services/apps it can access as part of the personal digital assistant service, its speed/Apple servers.
I remember the first weekend when the service would time out because the servers were overloaded. Does that happen know despite there not just being a million phones but hundreds of times that number being able to access the service? Surely their Siri traffic is higher now, but I also assume per-device traffic was higher that weekend as people were testing the service, so you could measure even just the access to Siri in different ways. I couldn't even tell you if it was a server HW, network HW, or SW issue that caused those rampant timeouts… and that's just a single possible data point in comparing Siri today to Siri from 2011.
It hasn't? How are quantifying that? I could create tests that could show Siri not changing at all to changing dramatically since it's first release as an Apple Service, but that would only show those specific metrics. That's because it's very difficult to gauge how Siri as a whole has evolved in terms of its speech recognition, its ability to correctly convert to the correct spelling of a homonym (contextual), its ability to proper analyze a query or statement (regardless of whether it can answer it), its database of available information, the services/apps it can access as part of the personal digital assistant service, its speed/Apple servers.
I remember the first weekend when the service would time out because the servers were overloaded. Does that happen know despite there not just being a million phones but hundreds of times that number being able to access the service? Surely their Siri traffic is higher now, but I also assume per-device traffic was higher that weekend as people were testing the service, so you could measure even just the access to Siri in different ways. I couldn't even tell you if it was a server HW, network HW, or SW issue that caused those rampant timeouts… and that's just a single possible data point in comparing Siri today to Siri from 2011.
Objectively speaking, I have no way to quantify my statement and your statement is 100% correct. Unfortunately, we live in the subjective realm of end-users, where Apple and its spin doctors are supposed to be pretty darn good and delivering magic or making us feel that they deliver magic. Subjectively speaking, they fail, and for 6 1/2 years Siri - on my various generations of iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Apple Watch, iMac and MacBook Pro - has continued to fail to understand what I'm saying while Google Assistant and - for goodness sake - freaking Cortana have no problems understanding me on the very same devices sometimes. When that happens subjectivity trumps objectivity!
Comments
I added the original link for the sake of conversation not to attack or be attacked. Also if you saw my first post on this very thread you would have known that I am interested in the Homepod for myself , so NO I am not one of the distrustful types as you put.
I am am also not a foxnews type either the article I attached for the sake of conversation happens to be from foxnews tech.
Impossible to stay ahead of the FUD, especially with vested interests making implications themselves for competitive/marketing reasons, but at least here on an intelligent technically-oriented site we should all try to avoid feeding into it. We shouldn't act as clueless and uneducated as a typical Verge poster right?
Which Personal Assistant is the Smartest?
Here are the results of our research:
Apple is promoting HomePod for the sound, a very smart marketing move while Siri matures. I suspect 10 years from now there will be little practical difference in the effectiveness of the various "assistants".
I have all Apple stuff. My daughter has an Android phone. I mock her for that, mercilessly.
Recently we went on a day trip together, and her Google-assisted phone was both faster and better than my iPhone 6 at answering questions, playing music, finding destinations, and giving directions. I was really surprised.
I remember the first weekend when the service would time out because the servers were overloaded. Does that happen know despite there not just being a million phones but hundreds of times that number being able to access the service? Surely their Siri traffic is higher now, but I also assume per-device traffic was higher that weekend as people were testing the service, so you could measure even just the access to Siri in different ways. I couldn't even tell you if it was a server HW, network HW, or SW issue that caused those rampant timeouts… and that's just a single possible data point in comparing Siri today to Siri from 2011.