Apple doubled its smart speaker market share in 2021 thanks to HomePod mini

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  • Reply 21 of 44
    MisterKit said:
    The original HomePod was ahead of it’s time and unfortunately it was underappreciated.
    Underappreciated?  It was way overpriced and was stuck working only with Apple devices and services (mostly).  The fact that Apple never opened it up to every device (Bluetooth connectivity) and most services was the biggest disservice Apple made to the HomePod.  They had YEARS to make something of that HomePod and it basically remained unchanged until it was discontinued.  By then, people realized that it was either a mini version that could not produce comparable sound or nothing, so the HomePod became a cherished commodity almost overnight.

    Newsflash -- not everyone uses Apple Music.
    AI_liaselijahgavon b7
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  • Reply 22 of 44
    danvmdanvm Posts: 1,506member
    mcdave said:
    Apple Music Voice + HomePod mini was a smart move. It should also help improve Siri. Now they just need an AppleTV sound bar with a pumped up GPU for gaming & some deals to deliver AAA games (OK & maybe Epic too) via Apple Arcade+
    I Apple decides to bring a soundbar, it will have a lot of competition, maybe more than the HomePod had.  If they had a hard time with the HomePod, I don't see why would it be different with an Apple soundbar.  
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  • Reply 23 of 44
    danvmdanvm Posts: 1,506member
    MisterKit said:
    The original HomePod was ahead of it’s time and unfortunately it was underappreciated.
    I don't see how the HomePod was ahead of it's time, specially when you consider that the Sonos One was already in the market.  IMO, the sound quality of both speaker were very similar.  Why do you think it was ahead of it's time?
    muthuk_vanalingamAI_liaselijahg
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  • Reply 24 of 44
    danvmdanvm Posts: 1,506member
    MisterKit said:
    The original HomePod was ahead of it’s time and unfortunately it was underappreciated.
    Agreed, I'm still rocking dual HPs on my home entertainment system after retiring a much more expensive 7.1 receiver & high-end speaker system. HPs are just easier, and the sound on the full-size model is quite loud. 

    But I've also purchased 3 minis for around the house, which we love. Whole-house music is like magic. 
    It looks like you sacrificed sound quality for simplicity.  In that case, I think a soundbar with a subwoofer is a better option.  It should sound better than the HomePod, specially when you have a real subwoofer, and keep the simplicity of a soundbar.  
    AI_liasentropyselijahg
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  • Reply 25 of 44
    elijahg said:
    MisterKit said:
    The original HomePod was ahead of it’s time and unfortunately it was underappreciated.
    And overpriced.

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  • Reply 26 of 44
    GeorgeBMacgeorgebmac Posts: 11,421member
    MisterKit said:
    The original HomePod was ahead of it’s time and unfortunately it was underappreciated.

    They needed to develop it further into Home Theater -- which would be consistent with both Apple Music and Apple TV as they expand out into Dolby Atmos.   If you want to take advantage of that you now need to buy a separate and pricey home theater system.

    The original HomePod couldn't match a high end home theater system.  But for most, it met the needs well -- except it was limited to stereo reproduction only.  (Yeh, it could emulate Dolby Atmos but it was/is a poor substitute).

    I hope Apple has abandoned the home theater market.  They could contribute mightily to it.
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  • Reply 27 of 44
    GeorgeBMacgeorgebmac Posts: 11,421member
    MisterKit said:
    The original HomePod was ahead of it’s time and unfortunately it was underappreciated.
    Agreed, I'm still rocking dual HPs on my home entertainment system after retiring a much more expensive 7.1 receiver & high-end speaker system. HPs are just easier, and the sound on the full-size model is quite loud. 

    But I've also purchased 3 minis for around the house, which we love. Whole-house music is like magic. 

    The original HPs were amazingly capable (although weak on Dolby Atmos).  But to use them for Home Theater you need to broadcast from an Apple product like Apple TV.
    Increasingly, smart TVs are replacing Apple TVs -- and HP's can't connect to them.
    entropyselijahggatorguy
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  • Reply 28 of 44
    GeorgeBMacgeorgebmac Posts: 11,421member
    AppleZulu said:
    The original HomePod is a brilliant piece of audio gear, but was apparently too expensive to generate the one-in-every-part-of-the-house distribution needed to properly support HomeKit objectives. Perhaps now that the mini is helping with that goal, it could pave the way for a future 'HomePod Pro' or some such thing that could pick up and advance the original HomePod's audio tech. We can hope.

    It was unfortunate that the original HomePod was marketed as a smart speaker to compete with Amazon's and Google's.

    It's strength lie in it's amazingly high end audio quality combined with ease of use.  But, as simply a vehicle for Siri inquiries it was grossly over priced -- like buying a Lambo to go grocery shopping.

    I see the the original HomePod and the Mini as addressing two completely different markets.
    Unfortunately, HomePod was never given the chance to truly shine.
    I equate it to Apple's original marketing for the Apple Watch as a high end fashion accessory.  If Apple had stuck with that marketing (and engineering scheme) the Apple Watch would have also failed.
    muthuk_vanalingamentropys
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  • Reply 29 of 44
    Xedxed Posts: 3,262member
    crowley said:
    Xed said:
    crowley said:
    My house remains blissfully free of listening machines.  I honestly don't understand why anyone would want of these things, whether they're from Apple, Amazon, Google or Other.
    Your house is full of a lot more microphones (and other ways in which to be spied upon) than you clearly realize. Differentiating between a device listening for a wake word that could also be surreptitiously recording you and those other device in your home, in your car, and on your person surreptitiously recording you are much closer than you think.
    I assure you, there are no devices surreptitiously recording me or listening for wake words in my house or on my person.
    Ah. So no device purposely listening for a "wake word" means that you have no microphones in your home and no device that could be compromised that could be listening. You understand that microphones don't have hardwired green lights on them to show when they're active, right?

    Be careful of living in bubble… they pop easily.
    Soliwatto_cobra
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  • Reply 30 of 44
    jcs2305jcs2305 Posts: 1,342member
    eightzero said:
    On something of a lark, I got a homepod mini for a very very low price. I jumped because I am rather curious about it. Initial impression is that it indeed has excellent sound. However, the Siri interface is still very unpredictable, and doesn't seem to understand I have a full library of music in the computer upstairs that she is connected to. Yes, I know this is fixed once I subscribe to Apple Music (and I got a free 6 month subscription to try) but having the functionality of this device tied to a subscription is something I really don't want. And yes, I also know I can go upstairs and Airplay from my library to the homepod, none of which is something I want to do. It should just work, and...well...it doesn't unless I fork over more quid on a regular basis.

    I really do wish I could tie this to my Roku smart TV, but that requires I use the AppleTV box as the primary interface, and that's just one more thing to dork with. 

    Gene Muenster never did come through with his Apple HDTV prediction. 
    Do you subscribe and have your music in the cloud with iTunes match? If you had match your music would be available through the AM app on our devices and should allow Siri to search you music as well. I was an Itunes match subscriber before AM existed. B) I know you aren't wanting the additional subscription but $24.00 per year for match is better than $120.00 for a single AM subscription?

    BTW An AM subscription also includes Itunes match functionality, so you can access music saved directly from AM as well as your personal uploaded music.

    I just tested it out .. I asked siri to play an album that I have that I know isn't on AM and she found it and started it from track 1. Eddie Vedder made a live Blu Ray video a few years back called "Water on the Road". This is the audio rip of the blue ray that I labeled and added artwork for myself in iTunes and uploaded to match.



    watto_cobra
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  • Reply 31 of 44
    elijahgelijahg Posts: 2,904member
    ITGUYINSD said:
    MisterKit said:
    The original HomePod was ahead of it’s time and unfortunately it was underappreciated.
    Underappreciated?  It was way overpriced and was stuck working only with Apple devices and services (mostly).  The fact that Apple never opened it up to every device (Bluetooth connectivity) and most services was the biggest disservice Apple made to the HomePod.  They had YEARS to make something of that HomePod and it basically remained unchanged until it was discontinued.  By then, people realized that it was either a mini version that could not produce comparable sound or nothing, so the HomePod became a cherished commodity almost overnight.

    Newsflash -- not everyone uses Apple Music.
    They won't add BT as Cook knows they can use the HP to force people to continue to subscribe to Apple Music.
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  • Reply 32 of 44
    GeorgeBMacgeorgebmac Posts: 11,421member
    elijahg said:
    ITGUYINSD said:
    MisterKit said:
    The original HomePod was ahead of it’s time and unfortunately it was underappreciated.
    Underappreciated?  It was way overpriced and was stuck working only with Apple devices and services (mostly).  The fact that Apple never opened it up to every device (Bluetooth connectivity) and most services was the biggest disservice Apple made to the HomePod.  They had YEARS to make something of that HomePod and it basically remained unchanged until it was discontinued.  By then, people realized that it was either a mini version that could not produce comparable sound or nothing, so the HomePod became a cherished commodity almost overnight.

    Newsflash -- not everyone uses Apple Music.
    They won't add BT as Cook knows they can use the HP to force people to continue to subscribe to Apple Music.

    While I agree that they kept it Apple Centric, where it could only connect to Apple hardware, I don't think that it was because of Apple Music -- because they opened up Airplay (and thus Apple Music) to non-Apple devices.  But, the poor Homepod could ONLY connect to Airplay -- even though it was capable of much, much more.

    I get much better sound from Apple Music funneled through my (mostly) Yamaha  Dolby Atmos system than I ever could from a pair of HomePods.  Amazing sound actually.
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  • Reply 33 of 44
    crowleycrowley Posts: 10,453member
    Xed said:
    crowley said:
    Xed said:
    crowley said:
    My house remains blissfully free of listening machines.  I honestly don't understand why anyone would want of these things, whether they're from Apple, Amazon, Google or Other.
    Your house is full of a lot more microphones (and other ways in which to be spied upon) than you clearly realize. Differentiating between a device listening for a wake word that could also be surreptitiously recording you and those other device in your home, in your car, and on your person surreptitiously recording you are much closer than you think.
    I assure you, there are no devices surreptitiously recording me or listening for wake words in my house or on my person.
    Ah. So no device purposely listening for a "wake word" means that you have no microphones in your home and no device that could be compromised that could be listening. You understand that microphones don't have hardwired green lights on them to show when they're active, right?

    Be careful of living in bubble… they pop easily.
    Have you hacked my microphones?  Stop baselessly and pointlessly spreading paranoia please.
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 34 of 44
    Xedxed Posts: 3,262member
    crowley said:
    Xed said:
    crowley said:
    Xed said:
    crowley said:
    My house remains blissfully free of listening machines.  I honestly don't understand why anyone would want of these things, whether they're from Apple, Amazon, Google or Other.
    Your house is full of a lot more microphones (and other ways in which to be spied upon) than you clearly realize. Differentiating between a device listening for a wake word that could also be surreptitiously recording you and those other device in your home, in your car, and on your person surreptitiously recording you are much closer than you think.
    I assure you, there are no devices surreptitiously recording me or listening for wake words in my house or on my person.
    Ah. So no device purposely listening for a "wake word" means that you have no microphones in your home and no device that could be compromised that could be listening. You understand that microphones don't have hardwired green lights on them to show when they're active, right?

    Be careful of living in bubble… they pop easily.
    Have you hacked my microphones?  Stop baselessly and pointlessly spreading paranoia please.
    That rich coming from the guy that is afraid of the HomePod recording everything he says because it listens for a wake word. 🙄
    williamlondonJaphey
     2Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 35 of 44
    elijahg said:
    ITGUYINSD said:
    MisterKit said:
    The original HomePod was ahead of it’s time and unfortunately it was underappreciated.
    Underappreciated?  It was way overpriced and was stuck working only with Apple devices and services (mostly).  The fact that Apple never opened it up to every device (Bluetooth connectivity) and most services was the biggest disservice Apple made to the HomePod.  They had YEARS to make something of that HomePod and it basically remained unchanged until it was discontinued.  By then, people realized that it was either a mini version that could not produce comparable sound or nothing, so the HomePod became a cherished commodity almost overnight.

    Newsflash -- not everyone uses Apple Music.
    They won't add BT as Cook knows they can use the HP to force people to continue to subscribe to Apple Music.
    I doubt that.  

    Did you know that an iPad/iPhone/Mac can play the audio from many apps/music services on a HomePod?  And you can set a default music app for verbal music commands to a HomePod.
    williamlondon
     1Like 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 36 of 44
    crowleycrowley Posts: 10,453member
    Xed said:
    crowley said:
    Xed said:
    crowley said:
    Xed said:
    crowley said:
    My house remains blissfully free of listening machines.  I honestly don't understand why anyone would want of these things, whether they're from Apple, Amazon, Google or Other.
    Your house is full of a lot more microphones (and other ways in which to be spied upon) than you clearly realize. Differentiating between a device listening for a wake word that could also be surreptitiously recording you and those other device in your home, in your car, and on your person surreptitiously recording you are much closer than you think.
    I assure you, there are no devices surreptitiously recording me or listening for wake words in my house or on my person.
    Ah. So no device purposely listening for a "wake word" means that you have no microphones in your home and no device that could be compromised that could be listening. You understand that microphones don't have hardwired green lights on them to show when they're active, right?

    Be careful of living in bubble… they pop easily.
    Have you hacked my microphones?  Stop baselessly and pointlessly spreading paranoia please.
    That rich coming from the guy that is afraid of the HomePod recording everything he says because it listens for a wake word. 🙄
    Not afraid, just have little use for it and think the technology is fundamentally creepy and unwanted.

    You're the one who dragged the conversation into someone hacking my non-active microphones to listen to me, as if that's in any way relevant to my lack of desire for an always on smart speaker.
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 37 of 44
    Xedxed Posts: 3,262member
    crowley said:
    Xed said:
    crowley said:
    Xed said:
    crowley said:
    Xed said:
    crowley said:
    My house remains blissfully free of listening machines.  I honestly don't understand why anyone would want of these things, whether they're from Apple, Amazon, Google or Other.
    Your house is full of a lot more microphones (and other ways in which to be spied upon) than you clearly realize. Differentiating between a device listening for a wake word that could also be surreptitiously recording you and those other device in your home, in your car, and on your person surreptitiously recording you are much closer than you think.
    I assure you, there are no devices surreptitiously recording me or listening for wake words in my house or on my person.
    Ah. So no device purposely listening for a "wake word" means that you have no microphones in your home and no device that could be compromised that could be listening. You understand that microphones don't have hardwired green lights on them to show when they're active, right?

    Be careful of living in bubble… they pop easily.
    Have you hacked my microphones?  Stop baselessly and pointlessly spreading paranoia please.
    That rich coming from the guy that is afraid of the HomePod recording everything he says because it listens for a wake word. ߙ䦬t;/div>
    Not afraid, just have little use for it and think the technology is fundamentally creepy and unwanted.

    You're the one who dragged the conversation into someone hacking my non-active microphones to listen to me, as if that's in any way relevant to my lack of desire for an always on smart speaker.
    1) Nearly all—if not all—of your devices are in an "always on" state.

    2) You started it by making the foolish statement "My house remains blissfully free of listening machines" and then go on your high horse to pat yourself on your back to claim you're impervious of being spied on because you don't have devices with microphones in your home.
    edited December 2021
    williamlondonGeorgeBMac
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  • Reply 38 of 44
    crowleycrowley Posts: 10,453member
    Xed said:
    crowley said:
    Xed said:
    crowley said:
    Xed said:
    crowley said:
    Xed said:
    crowley said:
    My house remains blissfully free of listening machines.  I honestly don't understand why anyone would want of these things, whether they're from Apple, Amazon, Google or Other.
    Your house is full of a lot more microphones (and other ways in which to be spied upon) than you clearly realize. Differentiating between a device listening for a wake word that could also be surreptitiously recording you and those other device in your home, in your car, and on your person surreptitiously recording you are much closer than you think.
    I assure you, there are no devices surreptitiously recording me or listening for wake words in my house or on my person.
    Ah. So no device purposely listening for a "wake word" means that you have no microphones in your home and no device that could be compromised that could be listening. You understand that microphones don't have hardwired green lights on them to show when they're active, right?

    Be careful of living in bubble… they pop easily.
    Have you hacked my microphones?  Stop baselessly and pointlessly spreading paranoia please.
    That rich coming from the guy that is afraid of the HomePod recording everything he says because it listens for a wake word. 🙄
    Not afraid, just have little use for it and think the technology is fundamentally creepy and unwanted.

    You're the one who dragged the conversation into someone hacking my non-active microphones to listen to me, as if that's in any way relevant to my lack of desire for an always on smart speaker.
    1) Early all—if not all—your devices are in an "always on" state.

    2) You started it by making the foolish statement "My house remains blissfully free of listening machines" and then go on your high horse to pat yourself on your back to claim you're impervious of being spied on because you don't have devices with microphones in your home.
    Fine, you successfully knocked me off my imaginary high horse with your big stupid stick.  Now I'll limp to my home where there are still absolutely no actively recording microphones (bar some crazy hack that almost certainly hasn't happened).

    Congratulations on winning whatever stupid point you think you were making because I simply don't care enough about it to engage with this dumb as shit prickery any further.
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 39 of 44
    Xedxed Posts: 3,262member
    crowley said:
    Xed said:
    crowley said:
    Xed said:
    crowley said:
    Xed said:
    crowley said:
    Xed said:
    crowley said:
    My house remains blissfully free of listening machines.  I honestly don't understand why anyone would want of these things, whether they're from Apple, Amazon, Google or Other.
    Your house is full of a lot more microphones (and other ways in which to be spied upon) than you clearly realize. Differentiating between a device listening for a wake word that could also be surreptitiously recording you and those other device in your home, in your car, and on your person surreptitiously recording you are much closer than you think.
    I assure you, there are no devices surreptitiously recording me or listening for wake words in my house or on my person.
    Ah. So no device purposely listening for a "wake word" means that you have no microphones in your home and no device that could be compromised that could be listening. You understand that microphones don't have hardwired green lights on them to show when they're active, right?

    Be careful of living in bubble… they pop easily.
    Have you hacked my microphones?  Stop baselessly and pointlessly spreading paranoia please.
    That rich coming from the guy that is afraid of the HomePod recording everything he says because it listens for a wake word. 🙄
    Not afraid, just have little use for it and think the technology is fundamentally creepy and unwanted.

    You're the one who dragged the conversation into someone hacking my non-active microphones to listen to me, as if that's in any way relevant to my lack of desire for an always on smart speaker.
    1) Early all—if not all—your devices are in an "always on" state.

    2) You started it by making the foolish statement "My house remains blissfully free of listening machines" and then go on your high horse to pat yourself on your back to claim you're impervious of being spied on because you don't have devices with microphones in your home.
    Fine, you successfully knocked me off my imaginary high horse with your big stupid stick.  Now I'll limp to my home where there are still absolutely no actively recording microphones (bar some crazy hack that almost certainly hasn't happened).

    Congratulations on winning whatever stupid point you think you were making because I simply don't care enough about it to engage with this dumb as shit prickery any further.
    It's sad that you decided to take this stance instead of growing from the exchange, but you do you.
    williamlondonGeorgeBMac
     2Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 40 of 44
    mcdavemcdave Posts: 1,927member
    danvm said:
    mcdave said:
    Apple Music Voice + HomePod mini was a smart move. It should also help improve Siri. Now they just need an AppleTV sound bar with a pumped up GPU for gaming & some deals to deliver AAA games (OK & maybe Epic too) via Apple Arcade+
    I Apple decides to bring a soundbar, it will have a lot of competition, maybe more than the HomePod had.  If they had a hard time with the HomePod, I don't see why would it be different with an Apple soundbar.  
    Luckily I didn’t say “a sound bar” I said an “AppleTV sound bar”. Given both AppleTV HD and HomePod had an A8, couldn’t understand why HP wasn’t released with tvOS and an HDMI port as an integrated unit. Both products were languishing but together they would have made much more sense.
    A reboot as a Sound Bar with integrated gaming-ready ATV would be a killer & the price point should work too.
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