I am considering getting this instead of a sound bar for my tv, Sonos sound bars are like $699 so for half the cost, I am considering this and I can talk to it without pulling out my phone, and just say lets watch Deadpool, it will automatically do it. I doubt I would put one in each room, but for better audio for TV because the Samsung speakers sound awful especially when you turn them up or there is a lot of bass.
HomePod isn’t really suited to use as a sound bar.
Sonos, Amazon and Google will be drinking today from the tears of disappointed users who thought they were waiting for Apple to get it right.
Now...let's sit back and wait for our fellow AI readers to spin this into a tale of suspense, intrigue and to justify why $350 spent is somehow better than $100.
And...GO!
Because they won’t sound like shit? It’s a shelf speaker first, gimmicky voice assistant second.
This is looking tricky. Is this a mono shelf speaker not sounding shit?
I say that because If stereo is key to great performance, do you absolutely need two? And in the same room? A third one if you want to extend the experience? A fourth if you want that experience to be stereo too? It's all adding up.
I'm a little lost in trying to piece it all together but I'm admittedly out of this game as I don't use any assistants and have a Nad Viso.
I don't have a problem with them pre-announcing it (that served a marketing purpose) or delaying it (stuff happens) but shipping and giving yourself up to a year to include all the announced features?
Maybe some kind of gift voucher for early adopters would have been an idea.
Is the stereo angle important here from a musical perspective, because if it is and it has a deficiency in that area, the 'great sound' or not sounding shit part rings a little shallow if it isn't capable of it without another unit and even if you had one it won't work out of the box.
I have audio equipment that sounds very good even if some of it is not highly specced. What would make me buy one of these apart from Siri interaction?
I'm all-in Apple, but this is somewhat screwed up. We don't know the inside story, but it seems someone is going to be demoted or fired...
This is a long period of time from announce date, and to still not have some important features for another untold number of months is a major borking.
Looks to me like a pretty lame product launch, overall: not fully functional, does not work with Apple's own key media products yet, priced high relative to competition, very little marketing information on what/why/who... just a lot of the usual fancy ad agency copy thrown around...
I am considering getting this instead of a sound bar for my tv, Sonos sound bars are like $699 so for half the cost, I am considering this and I can talk to it without pulling out my phone, and just say lets watch Deadpool, it will automatically do it. I doubt I would put one in each room, but for better audio for TV because the Samsung speakers sound awful especially when you turn them up or there is a lot of bass.
I don't think the HomePod would be good as a TV speaker. There are plenty of good soundbars in the same price range as the HomePod.
You would also have to buy 2 @ $700 and link them for stereo separation.
I'm all-in Apple, but this is somewhat screwed up. We don't know the inside story, but it seems someone is going to be demoted or fired...
This is a long period of time from announce date, and to still not have some important features for another untold number of months is a major borking.
The hardware is there, as is most of the software.
Only Airplay 2 is missing, and there's no point to delay the HomePod even longer to wait on something that can be enabled with a software update later.
Looking at it from a business perspective, it makes no sense to have it sit there and wait.
I'm all-in Apple, but this is somewhat screwed up. We don't know the inside story, but it seems someone is going to be demoted or fired...
This is a long period of time from announce date, and to still not have some important features for another untold number of months is a major borking.
Now that the spaceship is complete, maybe we'll see some new products, and released on time. (2014 Mac mini at 2018 prices anyone? I think that one's emblematic)
Interested in getting these for a minimalist home theater setup (hope they release a subwoofer in the future) as $700 would be fairly cheap for such a setup if it sounds as amazing as they are claiming. But how would I connect it to my TV? AppleTV is a non-option because I don't watch all my content via my AppleTV. Bluetooth is a poor option because it's not very high quality sound (i.e. lossy). Does this have aux in?
Christina Warren, who is a pretty big Apple fangirl, tweeted this:
Christina Warren (@film_girl) 1/23/18, 11:37 AM Last HomePod thought for now: the price is why it will fail. You can have a feature-limited, inexpensive product. You can have a feature-rich, expensive product. It is very difficult to find success in an established market when you are both overpriced and under-featured.
I tend to agree. The other troubling thing is how much “software updating” is going to be necessary to make it better/release new features.
Amazon and Google’s speakers get better and smarter (almost weekly) via cloud backend and you don’t have to update their software.
I think HomePod will sell well enough because Apple has a dedicated fan base that will buy new products it puts on the market but I don’t think it will sell as well as it could because of price and lack of features compared to competition.
I would’ve held off until it was absolutely ready.
I mean they’ve already missed Christmas so why rush it?
Because these are niche features that won't impact the typical user? I don't plan on buying two of these immediately, so why do I care how multiple units will work together? It's nice to know those features are coming soon, but certainly not a deal-breaker for me (or most people).
Another half-assed Apple product that they couldn’t get right on launch. Apple is beginning to look more and more like a company that with the hundreds of thousands of employees they have can’t work on more than one product at a time, get new products out on time, and then throws them at the public at a premium price in an unfinished state. Time for Tim Cook to go. He had his chance, now turn the company over to someone who understands the marketplace.
Sonos, Amazon and Google will be drinking today from the tears of disappointed users who thought they were waiting for Apple to get it right.
Now...let's sit back and wait for our fellow AI readers to spin this into a tale of suspense, intrigue and to justify why $350 spent is somehow better than $100.
I'm all-in Apple, but this is somewhat screwed up. We don't know the inside story, but it seems someone is going to be demoted or fired...
This is a long period of time from announce date, and to still not have some important features for another untold number of months is a major borking.
Now that the spaceship is complete, maybe we'll see some new products, and released on time. (2014 Mac mini at 2018 prices anyone? I think that one's emblematic)
I think too that the spaceship took away a lot of concentration on products.
Christina Warren, who is a pretty big Apple fangirl, tweeted this:
Christina Warren (@film_girl) 1/23/18, 11:37 AM Last HomePod thought for now: the price is why it will fail. You can have a feature-limited, inexpensive product. You can have a feature-rich, expensive product. It is very difficult to find success in an established market when you are both overpriced and under-featured.
I tend to agree. The other troubling thing is how much “software updating” is going to be necessary to make it better/release new features.
Amazon and Google’s speakers get better and smarter (almost weekly) via cloud backend and you don’t have to update their software.
I think HomePod will sell well enough because Apple has a dedicated fan base that will buy new products it puts on the market but I don’t think it will sell as well as it could because of price and lack of features compared to competition.
Christina Warren also works for Microsoft. Take it for what it's worth.
Christina Warren, who is a pretty big Apple fangirl, tweeted this:
Christina Warren (@film_girl) 1/23/18, 11:37 AM Last HomePod thought for now: the price is why it will fail. You can have a feature-limited, inexpensive product. You can have a feature-rich, expensive product. It is very difficult to find success in an established market when you are both overpriced and under-featured.
I tend to agree. The other troubling thing is how much “software updating” is going to be necessary to make it better/release new features.
Amazon and Google’s speakers get better and smarter (almost weekly) via cloud backend and you don’t have to update their software.
I think HomePod will sell well enough because Apple has a dedicated fan base that will buy new products it puts on the market but I don’t think it will sell as well as it could because of price and lack of features compared to competition.
Christina Warren also works for Microsoft. Take it for what it's worth.
Sure she got a job at Microsoft last year but she says she has 4 Macs, 3 iPads and 3 iPhones plus is an Apple Watch wearer (and still calls herself the ultimate fan girl). She’s pretty much Apple’s target market but is telling people to get a Sonos instead. Maybe when the HomePod is an actual platform vs. an iPhone accessory that supports Apple Music she’ll change her mind.
Christina Warren, who is a pretty big Apple fangirl, tweeted this:
Christina Warren (@film_girl) 1/23/18, 11:37 AM Last HomePod thought for now: the price is why it will fail. You can have a feature-limited, inexpensive product. You can have a feature-rich, expensive product. It is very difficult to find success in an established market when you are both overpriced and under-featured.
I tend to agree. The other troubling thing is how much “software updating” is going to be necessary to make it better/release new features.
Amazon and Google’s speakers get better and smarter (almost weekly) via cloud backend and you don’t have to update their software.
I think HomePod will sell well enough because Apple has a dedicated fan base that will buy new products it puts on the market but I don’t think it will sell as well as it could because of price and lack of features compared to competition.
Christina Warren also works for Microsoft. Take it for what it's worth.
Sure she got a job at Microsoft last year but she says she has 4 Macs, 3 iPads and 3 iPhones plus is an Apple Watch wearer (and still calls herself the ultimate fan girl). She’s pretty much Apple’s target market but is telling people to get a Sonos instead. Maybe when the HomePod is an actual platform vs. an iPhone accessory that supports Apple Music she’ll change her mind.
Whether a relatively high price and missing/delayed features or not IMHO Apple will still sell a million of 'em in the first 30 days. That's the power of the Apple fan-base. Simply based on past performance they'll be given benefit of the doubt, a position they've earned.
Comments
I have a Sony MT301. Great product.
Until now will stick with my Bowers and Wilkins A5 and A7.
Was really looking forward to getting multi room audio.
I say that because If stereo is key to great performance, do you absolutely need two? And in the same room? A third one if you want to extend the experience? A fourth if you want that experience to be stereo too? It's all adding up.
I'm a little lost in trying to piece it all together but I'm admittedly out of this game as I don't use any assistants and have a Nad Viso.
I don't have a problem with them pre-announcing it (that served a marketing purpose) or delaying it (stuff happens) but shipping and giving yourself up to a year to include all the announced features?
Maybe some kind of gift voucher for early adopters would have been an idea.
Is the stereo angle important here from a musical perspective, because if it is and it has a deficiency in that area, the 'great sound' or not sounding shit part rings a little shallow if it isn't capable of it without another unit and even if you had one it won't work out of the box.
I have audio equipment that sounds very good even if some of it is not highly specced. What would make me buy one of these apart from Siri interaction?
I'm all-in Apple, but this is somewhat screwed up. We don't know the inside story, but it seems someone is going to be demoted or fired...
This is a long period of time from announce date, and to still not have some important features for another untold number of months is a major borking.
What heck is going on, Apple?!
Only Airplay 2 is missing, and there's no point to delay the HomePod even longer to wait on something that can be enabled with a software update later.
Looking at it from a business perspective, it makes no sense to have it sit there and wait.