Facebook rumored to take on Apple HomePod with first two smartspeakers

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in General Discussion
Facebook is reportedly planning to launch not one but two smartspeakers by the end of July at the latest, joining the fray against Apple, Amazon, Google, and others.

Amazon's Echo Show.
Amazon's Echo Show.


The products are codenamed "Aloha" and "Fiona," and will both have 15-inch touchscreens, according to DigiTimes sources. That would vastly eclipse the 7-inch screen on the Amazon Echo Show.

The Facebook devices should put a heavy focus on video calls and other social functions. The "Aloha" -- shipping as the "Portal" -- is said to be the higher-end model, with voice commands, facial recognition for login, and expanded social networking options. Facebook is said to have signed music licenses with Sony and Universal, suggesting that it will have a native music app.

Ultimately the company is claimed to want its own ecosystem of video devices, rolling out over the next five years.

Even the "Portal" is unlikely to compete directly with the Apple HomePod, which lacks a screen and emphasizes audio quality over everything else. It may divert some shoppers interested in "smart" products, however, depending on the quality of Facebook's AI assistant and the level of interest in social functions.

In fact the company is said to have originally been targeting a May launch, but pushed the window out so it could refine sound and software.

Reviewers have often complained that although the HomePod sounds good, its Siri voice assistant is limited and holding it back.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 34
    No, thanks. Facebook is creepy enough without putting even more cameras and microphones in my house.
    lordjohnwhorfintmayLukeCagemacseekerwatto_cobramknelsonmike1king editor the gratekestralfotoformat
  • Reply 2 of 34
    SoliSoli Posts: 10,035member
    LOL The HomePod has been out less than a week and it's already the product that every company has to take on. Whatever they come out with their direct competition will likely not be the HomePod.
    edited February 2018 lordjohnwhorfintmayLukeCagewatto_cobramike1potatoleeksoup
  • Reply 3 of 34
    I bet there’ll be no one taking measurement of it. 
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 4 of 34
    Why would i use speaker as my voice assistant? My iphone is always w me except when im in the shower,,,,siri is already there.
    watto_cobrakestralracerhomie3
  • Reply 5 of 34
    ...The All Skate sign just went on at the roller rink...
    watto_cobraright_said_fredlojackkingofsomewherehot
  • Reply 6 of 34
    Neat, another vector for facebook to spy upon people with.
    watto_cobrapotatoleeksoup
  • Reply 7 of 34
    Soli said:
    LOL The HomePod has been out less than a week and it's already the product that every company has to take on. Whatever they come out with their direct competition will likely not be the HomePod.
    If it has a touch screen how is it taking on HomePod?  :/
  • Reply 8 of 34
    dws-2dws-2 Posts: 276member
    Finally, a product that I don't need to worry about whether I want it or not.
    mike1watto_cobrabadmonk
  • Reply 9 of 34
    dws-2 said:
    Finally, a product that I don't need to worry about whether I want it or not.
    LOL. Thud... waiting for the other brick to drop
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 10 of 34
    zroger73 said:
    No, thanks. Facebook is creepy enough without putting even more cameras and microphones in my house.
     Couldn’t say it better myself, FaceBook GTFO of here with your ever encroaching into people’s public lives. There will probably be a kids version released next where kids wear around there necks so parents can follow their kids via Facebook everywhere and anywhere. Black Mirror episodes will soon start writing themselves now sigh....
    lukeiwatto_cobra
  • Reply 11 of 34
    mike1mike1 Posts: 3,275member
    FB is a one-trick pony and I would expect this to fail like their phone did. Everybody else is so far ahead of them when it comes to...

    Virtual Assistant
    Voice Control
    Music Services
    Video Services
    Home Control

    Non-portable tablets - They'd have this entirely to themselves.
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 12 of 34
    fallenjtfallenjt Posts: 4,053member
    Please, FB, stay with what you're good at: Social Networking. Your mobile phone was a flop. No more hardware, please!
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 13 of 34
    zonezone Posts: 71member
    FB is a horrible platform, no one will be using it in a decade. Who has time for them anyway? Total waste! There is no way I would buy something this for them. 
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 14 of 34
    It's hard to see how Facebook could make a dent here.  If they would have done this a couple of years ago then maybe.  The problem is that one of the major reasons to get a smart speaker is for home automation and there are already _three_ entrenched standards: Alexa, Google Assistant and Homekit.  Without the ecosystem of smart home gear that connects to the "Aloha" (or whatever) I can't see this working.

    Secondly: There are _four_ entrenched music services: Spotify, Google Music, Amazon Prime Music and Apple Music.  I can't see Facebook making anything even close to good enough to pull people away from those.

    I just don't see anyone buying this.
    zroger73watto_cobra
  • Reply 15 of 34
    fallenjtfallenjt Posts: 4,053member
    friedmud said:
    It's hard to see how Facebook could make a dent here.  If they would have done this a couple of years ago then maybe.  The problem is that one of the major reasons to get a smart speaker is for home automation and there are already _three_ entrenched standards: Alexa, Google Assistant and Homekit.  Without the ecosystem of smart home gear that connects to the "Aloha" (or whatever) I can't see this working.

    Secondly: There are _four_ entrenched music services: Spotify, Google Music, Amazon Prime Music and Apple Music.  I can't see Facebook making anything even close to good enough to pull people away from those.

    I just don't see anyone buying this.
    You forgot one thing: Samsung S Voice. lol.
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 16 of 34
    Great! Now people can film themselves eating Tide Pods using Facebook's smartspeaker. 
    watto_cobrabadmonk
  • Reply 17 of 34
    ...The All Skate sign just went on at the roller rink...
    Pretty obscure, I like it. 
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 18 of 34
    lukeilukei Posts: 379member
    Kuyangkoh said:
    Why would i use speaker as my voice assistant? My iphone is always w me except when im in the shower,,,,siri is already there.
    Except if you HomePod is in range then it takes the command on. I have one and it’s a mixed problem. 
  • Reply 19 of 34
    I deactivated my FB account and only think about it when it comes up in conversation, or articles like this.  
    watto_cobraairnerd
  • Reply 20 of 34
    dewmedewme Posts: 5,335member
    What amazes me is all of the companies that no longer seem to have a salient corporate mission, other than observing where there is money to be made and then reacting "I'll have whatever he's having." In many cases the "he" is Apple but in other cases Apple is the observer and follower. From a purely marketing and revenue perspective I guess this makes sense because someone else is doing the market research, prototyping, R&D, and product launch for you to prove that there is money to be made in the new venture. On the other hand it's kind of socially pathetic and anti-innovative. This is obviously nothing new in a historical sense, but seeing it play out in real time during our time on the big ride is a sobering reminder that we're not as smart as we sometimes think we are.

    What's next, a FaceBook voice assistant? I recommend it be called "Creepy."
    edited February 2018 watto_cobra
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