If no line-in, that's a pity. A lot of folks will be weighing a Sonos vs this; Sonos will do their TV audio without latency. I'm sure this'll work with AppleTV, but that's useless for other boxes, Playstations and Xboxen, etc.
Regardless, I'm one of the rare fans of the Apple HiFi, nice to see it live on in some kind of form.
Aren't there enough speakers with audio line in?
Why can't we just have a nice wireless speaker? The best wireless speaker for Apple households.
That's what people are not getting. "I have Spotify I won't buy this until Apple supports it". The reality is people think this is the same Apple that delivered the Apple hifi unit a decade ago. Apple doesn't need every product to be all things to all people. The HomePod and MusicKit are tools designed to promote Apple Music.
The HomePod is a low margin product but Apple is looking at bolstering their Services portfolio. Someone who will pay $350 for a speaker is more likely the person that will pay $120 a year for unlimited music. With MusicKit Apple's not even forcing end users to use the Music app you will be able to choose whatever supporting apps you want.
HomeKit and Airplay2 really makes this enticing because it really absolves Apple from needing to provide multiple speakers. You want an soundbar that plays music in sync with your other speakers ...no problem multiple vendors will have solutions. You want your AVR receiver to join the party ..not a problem.
Look for Apple to catch Spotify within two years in paid subscriptions. They are turning up the heat.
If no line-in, that's a pity. A lot of folks will be weighing a Sonos vs this; Sonos will do their TV audio without latency. I'm sure this'll work with AppleTV, but that's useless for other boxes, Playstations and Xboxen, etc.
Regardless, I'm one of the rare fans of the Apple HiFi, nice to see it live on in some kind of form.
Aren't there enough speakers with audio line in?
Why can't we just have a nice wireless speaker? The best wireless speaker for Apple households.
That's what people are not getting. "I have Spotify I won't buy this until Apple supports it". The reality is people think this is the same Apple that delivered the Apple hifi unit a decade ago. Apple doesn't need every product to be all things to all people. The HomePod and MusicKit are tools designed to promote Apple Music.
The HomePod is a low margin product but Apple is looking at bolstering their Services portfolio. Someone who will pay $350 for a speaker is more likely the person that will pay $120 a year for unlimited music. With MusicKit Apple's not even forcing end users to use the Music app you will be able to choose whatever supporting apps you want.
HomeKit and Airplay2 really makes this enticing because it really absolves Apple from needing to provide multiple speakers. You want an soundbar that plays music in sync with your other speakers ...no problem multiple vendors will have solutions. You want your AVR receiver to join the party ..not a problem.
Look for Apple to catch Spotify within two years in paid subscriptions. They are turning up the heat.
Yea Apple Music has incredible momentum, closely connected to device sales and services growth. It will pass Spotify and keep on going.
HomePod for me will have to replace my soundbar that is connected to my Apple TV, or it won't have a practical application in my house. Eventually I would grow that to additional HomePods elsewhere. Hopefully Apple eventually makes an outdoor model.
I feel $350 is way way to expensive. I would think that would greatly shrink the potential market interested in one. I thought at first it would cost maybe $150-$200 at most. I don't see many people buying one at $350. Wow.
People whined the same way with Apple Watch. Guess what happened 3 years later. BTW, Apple doesn't make cheap stuffs but premium gadgets with higher quality than the rest of the industry. If you compare this HomePod with Amazon Echo or Google Home, you only touch the functions of the device not the hardware quality because the speaker from this HomePod is, by miles better those cheapshits in Echo or G-Home.
You seem to have missed his point:
"I would think that would greatly shrink the potential market interested in one."
Your Apple Watch comment doesn't counter his statement. The Echo Line and Google Home were designed to be affordable and focus on smart assistance while doing other things too. From there you can add features and move up into higher tiers. This is happening but clearly the main goal was to get as many as possible into homes first. Price helps with that goal.
While the OP is perfectly correct with his opinion, I feel that Apple will also want to get as many of these into people's homes too, so at some point I think we could see a basic version without the same audio quality for music.
Of course they couldn't do that now as people would say they were copying Amazon, the device is still in development and Siri isn't up to the task of competing with Amazon in this space.
Come December, when the product actually ships, we will see if there is much audio difference with other speakers and how Amazon/Google respond.
$349, on the face of it seems valid but if the final price, including sales taxes etc is over 350€ for example in Europe, I think it might struggle somewhat.
In the same token, Apple would want to get as many iPhone into people's hand too, but the fact ain't support that. Apple's rather sell less devices at high margin than ship tons of cheap stuffs. No race to the bottom and everyone has seen that from Apple: Apple Watch, iPhone, MacBook or whatever.
Comments
That's what people are not getting. "I have Spotify I won't buy this until Apple supports it". The reality is people think this is the same Apple that
delivered the Apple hifi unit a decade ago. Apple doesn't need every product to be all things to all people. The HomePod and MusicKit are tools
designed to promote Apple Music.
The HomePod is a low margin product but Apple is looking at bolstering their Services portfolio. Someone who will pay $350 for a speaker is more likely
the person that will pay $120 a year for unlimited music. With MusicKit Apple's not even forcing end users to use the Music app you will be able to choose
whatever supporting apps you want.
HomeKit and Airplay2 really makes this enticing because it really absolves Apple from needing to provide multiple speakers. You want an soundbar that plays
music in sync with your other speakers ...no problem multiple vendors will have solutions. You want your AVR receiver to join the party ..not a problem.
Look for Apple to catch Spotify within two years in paid subscriptions. They are turning up the heat.
HomePod for me will have to replace my soundbar that is connected to my Apple TV, or it won't have a practical application in my house. Eventually I would grow that to additional HomePods elsewhere. Hopefully Apple eventually makes an outdoor model.